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We are pleased to confirm Paul Hartley has been named the Glen’s Vodka League One top manager for season 2021-22. 

Paul has been rewarded for leading us to the League One title and promotion to the Championship – all achieved in the club’s centenary year. 

Paul said: “I’m delighted for everyone at the club, not just for myself. 

“Managers tend to be given prizes when their teams are successful, but there’s an abundance of people who worked hard to achieve what we did over the season. 

“You have the chairman and the rest of the board, who ensured we had a squad strong enough and the necessary infrastructure to finish on top of the league. 

“My staff have also been incredible, as have all of the others at the club, who do all the unsung work behind the scenes on match days. 

“They have all did their jobs to the very highest standards, so have earned a share of this award. 

“Then of course, you have the players. 

“They have been brilliant. 

“They never let up, from the very first day of pre-season until the final whistle of our last league game. 

“I really can’t thank them enough for their effort, professionalism and commitment.” 

It’s the second such award Paul has picked up in his coaching career. 

He was named manager of the year for what was then known as the Third Division after leading Alloa Athletic to that title in season 2011-12. 

This latest award comes in the wake of Paul also having picked up the Glen’s Vodka Manager of the Month award four times during the campaign. 

He was named as top boss in November, December, March and April. 

The final of those was for the part Paul played in us going unbeaten in the five league games played in April. 

That allowed us to not only clinch the title, with a 1-0 victory over Dumbarton at Balmoral Stadium, but also end our season unbeaten in 26 league games, an amazing run that stretched way back to October. 

Paul said: “We had some difficult periods, but we came through those because the players never stopped working or believing they were good enough. 

“It’s great that they got their reward at the end of it all by winning the title. 

“I’ve been involved in football for almost 30 years now and last season is the one that I will always remember the most. 

“That’s because it was so special, in terms of how we played as well as the fact we won the title to kick off the club’s centenary celebrations in style. 

“To become champions on the back of such a long unbeaten run underlined just how talented the group of players we have at Cove is. 

“The target when the club was promoted into the SPFL was to see if we could make it to the Championship inside five years. 

“To achieve that in just three years was magnificent, so it’s only right we enjoy what we have done. 

“The celebrations won’t last too long though. 

“Next season will be the biggest challenge the club has ever taken on, so we are going to have to make sure we are ready for that.” 

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