New Contract For Carl

Rugby Town manager Carl Adams has extended his contract with the Club until May 2025.

After ending the season strongly including a final day 3-0 win at Boldmere St Michaels, Rugby kept their Northern Premier League status and now the 50-year-old will start the job of preparing his squad for next season.

"I'm over the moon to have the chance to push the Club on after a difficult year," Carl said.

"I have a real love for the Club and I am excited about taking the momentum from the end of this campaign into next season."

Adams has now been in charge of 230 competitive games at Butlin Road since joining as manager in 2018 and led Valley to promotion from the United Counties League Premier South in 2023.

Rugby Town director Neil Melvin commented: "We firmly believe Carl is still the right man to take the Club forwards as we look to make signification improvements on the pitch next season.

"Carl has devoted the last six years to the football club and we have worked hard to set things up in the background to give him and the team the best chance of success for next season.

"We have developed a very good working relationship over the years and we believe that this continuity will translate into success."

Adams was appointed the first team manager in May 2018 after leaving former club Stratford Town.

Adams left his post at Southern League Premier Division side Stratford after six years in charge there to replace the out-going Dave Stringer, whose second stint in the Butlin Road hot seat came to an end after the completion of the 2017/18 season.

Adams came to Valley with an impressive managerial track record, having guided Stratford to two promotions since joining them for the 2012/13 season.

In his first season at Knights Lane, he helped secure them the Midland Alliance title (the equivalent of Town’s current league), before then advancing through the Southern League South & West Division via the play-offs in 2015.

Adams has left Stratford after maintaining their Step Three non-league pyramid status for three seasons – recording 19th, 14th and 15th place finishes, and he also has a further title success on his managerial CV at Coleshill, where he won the Midland Combination championship in 2008.

As a player, he made three first team starts for Birmingham City, before also featuring for Northampton Town, Kettering Town, Stevenage and Weymouth – ahead of a spell in the USA.