TRURO City first-team manager Paul Wotton has signed a new, long-term contract with the club, writes Cameron Weldon.

It continues a week of unprecedented positivity for City, with the club’s new Canadian owners and a return to playing matches in Truro for the 2024-25 season also announced.

Wotton first took the City helm in July 2019 when he replaced previous incumbent Paul Wilkinson with the club suffering relegation to the Southern League Premier Division.

The 46-year-old’s first campaign saw the side denied an instant return to Step Two, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in the 2019-20 campaign being declared null and void.

Only a handful of league games were possible in the following season, which was also aborted by coronavirus.

The former Plymouth Argyle, Southampton and Yeovil Town midfielder’s first full season in charge saw City finish their Southern League campaign in mid-table after leaving Treyew Road and ground-sharing with Plymouth Parkway.

But after a season of acclimatisation across the Tamar, Wotton secured promotion back to National League South last term with a dramatic play-off final win at Bracknell Town.

“It was a very easy decision to sign a new contract,” said Wotton. “Everyone knows my commitment to the football club and I have been here for a decent amount of time. To get the contract extension is great for me and it is lovely to be supported, because we are really building something. 

“It is an exciting time for the football club and, after an initial discussion about a contract extension, it was all signed and sealed in 10 minutes.

“I desperately want to be the manager when we go back to Truro because I was the manager when we left. That looks like it is going to happen now and although it has been an unsettling time, playing away from home, I can’t say how excited I am for the future.

“I believe that this is a forward-thinking football club and under the new ownership, we will kick on.”

Truro’s new executive chairman Eric Perez hailed Wotton as the perfect man to steer City back home for the 2024-25 season and added: “We are delighted to have Paul Wotton on board and signed to a multi-year contract renewal. 

“We look forward to continued success and further cultivation of the incredible close-knit atmosphere he’s fostered. There is no better manager to lead us back to Truro than Paul.”

Meanwhile, Truro City’s football consultant Alex Black added that Wotton extending his stay with Cornwall’s highest-ranked side demonstrates the club’s desire for continuity in its managerial department 

“Paul has been pivotal to what we have been trying to do over the last few years with the football club,” enthused Black. “He played a tremendous role in getting us promoted under difficult circumstances.

“Continuity is always going to be the best way and I’m thankful to the new owners for sanctioning this.

“I can’t think of a better person to be at the helm as we move back to Truro next season.”