Norwich City have today announced that manager Alex Neil has signed a new contract with the club.

Neil has been given what the club have called "a new and improved longer-term contract", via their website.

The Scotsman took over the Canaries in January, joining from Scottish Premiership outfit Hamilton Academical, where he had been their player/manager before earning the full managerial role on a permanent basis and leading the club to promotion to the top flight.

Neil started life at Carrow Road with a 2-1 win over eventual champions Bournemouth, and he would continue to hit these heights throughout the remainder of the season as he won 17 of his 25 games, guiding the Canaries into the play-offs. Here, they defeated Ipswich Town and Middlesbrough to secure promotion to the Premier League last month.

The 34-year-old told Norwich's club website that he was "delighted" to have signed the new deal, and "happy" to have got the situation "sorted before the [new] season gets underway." He also described how he has "really enjoyed" his time with the club so far, and hopes "it is just the beginning."

Norwich's chief executive David McNally was equally as excited with Neil putting pen to paper, admitting that the deal was "the most important piece of business" for the club this summer. McNally praised the manager for the way "he galvanised" the team upon arrival, and stated that he was "certain that Norwich City will continue to progress" with him in charge.

As a player, Neil made his name in Scotland with Hamilton, where he made over 200 appearances in the league over 10 years. Prior to this, he enjoyed four seasons with Barnsley, again hitting triple figures in league games with the club, before spending a year with Mansfield Town.

A win rate of over 52 per cent saw him turn heads North of the border when he became Hamilton's manager, eventually leading to Norwich taking him to Carrow Road where he has so far been an incredible success and will hope to keep them afloat in the English top flight next season.

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Amee Ruszkai
Head of the Sunderland, Swansea City and women football sections at VAVEL UK. Email: [email protected]