Crusaders boss Stephen Baxter closing in on exclusive club after agreeing contract extension

Crusaders boss Stephen Baxter is set to join a select club after agreeing a new contract with the Shore Road club.

Baxter, who was appointed to the post in 2005, initially in a caretaker capacity, signed a two year extension with the Seaviewmen on Tuesday night.

The new arrangement takes him to the end of the 2024/2025 campaign and that means he is poised to mark two decades at the helm of the Crues.

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In doing so he would join the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger, Sir Matt Busby, Jim McClean and Ronnie McFall who all hit the 20-year milestone with the one football club.

McFall, who enjoyed a remarkable 29-year reign at Portadown before stepping down in 2016, holds the record as longest-serving manager in the Irish League.

Baxter, who lifted his third Irish Cup as Crues boss earlier this month, has been at the Crusaders helm for 17 years, three months and one day.

He is now just 26 days shy of eclipsing David Jeffrey who managed Linfield for 17 years, three months and 26 days between 1997 and 2014.

Late last night Crusaders Football Club said it was “extremely pleased” to announce that Baxter had “signed a two year extension to his contract that has a year still to run.”

The statement added: “Stephen put pen to paper on Monday evening after very quick and positive talks.

“He will lead Crusaders until at least the end of the 2024-25 season making it 20 years at the helm.”

Before this month’s Irish Cup final with Ballymena United, Baxter said a fire still burned brightly inside him to continue at the Crusaders helm.

A dramatic 2-1 win over the Sky Blues, thanks to a last-gasp winner from Johnny McMurray, delivered silverware in what