Waterford unveil Pat Fenlon and Alan Reynolds as new management team

Waterford have announced the appointment of Pat Fenlon and Alan Reynolds as director of football and head coach respectively ahead of the 2017 First Division season.

The club have also announced that former player Paul Cleary will continue as the club's general manager for the coming season.

The announcement comes as the first move by the club since the takeover by former Ireland under-21 international Lee Power and re-brand from Waterford United to its original name, Waterford.

Dubliner Fenlon steps into his first director of football role having had spells as manager of Shelbourne, Bohemians, Hibernians and Shamrock Rovers.

The 47-year-old has been out of work since being relieved of his position at Rovers in July of last year, having managed the club to fourth and third-place finishes in his two seasons at the club.

He arrives in Waterford with the tough task of restoring top-flight football to Waterford for the first time since 2007.

“I am delighted to be involved in such an exciting project,” Fenlon said upon his appointment.

“Waterford has always been a great football City, with a fabulous history.

“Being Director of Football is a new and exciting role for me and I would like to thank Lee Power for giving me the opportunity to put the structures in place to bring the club forward.

“I am looking forward to working closely with Alan Reynolds and will support him and the other technical staff in our efforts to bring success to the club.”

42-year-old Reynolds is a former Waterford United midfielder who was previously player-manager for a brief period in 2004 under director of football Paul McGrath.

The former Shelbourne and Shamrock Rovers player has spent the last year as assistant first team coach at another of his former clubs, Cork City, under John Caulfield.

Reynolds said: “I’m thrilled to be involved with this new era for Waterford. Working with Pat Fenlon again is something that I’m really looking forward too.

“Hopefully we can get the people of Waterford behind the club, supporting the team and we can look forward to some exciting nights at the RSC.”

Chairman Power added: “Pat and Alan are highly respected in League of Ireland circles and to have both men on board for the beginning of a new era here at Waterford is fantastic.

“To me, it was always about getting the right people to lead the club forward and with Pat’s experience and Alan’s knowledge of Waterford, I think that we’ve got the perfect combination to lead this club back into the Premier Division which is our aim for the 2017 season

“It’s exciting times ahead for the club and I thank our fans for their patience in waiting for these key appointments. The announcement of both Pat and Alan is a signal of our intentions to make this club a great one again.

“I welcome them both and wish them all the success in building a squad that’s aim will be to bring top flight football back to Waterford.”

The club also announced their first signings ahead of the 2017 season, with Premier Division experience arriving in the form of Paul Murphy from Wexford Youths, Dean O'Halloran from Bohemians and Dave Mulcahy from Cork City.