Weston-super-Mare AFC have confirmed that first team manager Scott Bartlett has extended his contract with the club.

Bartlett signed the contract extension on Monday, January 22 just after the midway point of Weston's first season back in the National League South.

It comes after he led the side to the Southern League Premier South title last season and lifted the Somerset Premier Cup in 2019.

Speaking on the new contract, Bartlett said: "Myself, my staff, and my players are really ambitious and rightly so. We have some more to achieve here, there is plenty of room for growth and it’s exciting.

“We are against some huge budgets and some full time teams but our principles have not changed and we enjoy the challenge.

“We should all feel privileged to be working for, playing for or supporting a club like this with so many good people."

Managing director Oli Bliss added: "Scott did a great job in winning the league last year and fully deserves the extension to his contract.

“We have built a stable squad and he is continually improving it.

“This will help us achieve our long-term vision over the next few seasons of challenging for the playoffs.”

Bartlett returned to the club for the second time as Manager in May 2019, leaving his role as Academy Manager at Forest Green Rovers.

He has managed 224 games for the Seagulls, winning 116. He has also seen his team score 432 goals when taking to the field.

He added: "We are now in the process of reshaping the squad slightly for the second half of this season as well as renewing some important contracts.

“While discussing an extension to my personal contract it was key for both parties that there is a hunger to improve and keep trying to move forward and keep our best players."

He did make clear his personal long term goals are to manage in the Football League but he said he will make sure when he does leave, Weston AFC will be in a better place than when he found it.

“There has been some interest and it’s no secret I want to manage in the Football League one day and at some point, of course it’s inevitable I will leave the club in the good hands of someone else.

"When that happens, it’ll be in the best interests of Weston-super-Mare AFC because either we are doing really well or perhaps otherwise. But when I do, I promise to leave it in a far better position on and off the pitch than when I started with a balanced squad, some saleable assets, talented staff, and a team our supporters can continue to get behind."