AFC Sudbury boss Danny Laws keen to provide some ‘stability’ after guiding club to Southern League Central Premier Division survival

‘Stability’ – that was at the forefront of Danny Laws’ thinking when he accepted the offer to become the first team head coach at AFC Sudbury on a permanent basis.

When Laws stepped up from his role as head of football at the club to take interim charge in early March, the Yellows had won just one of their previous 16 games and there was a genuine threat of relegation with the team three points from safety in Southern League Central Premier Division.

However, the experienced Laws oversaw a dramatic turnaround in form as Sudbury racked up five wins from their remaining nine fixtures to preserve their Step 3 status.

And now following conversations with the club’s hierarchy, it has been decided that Laws will lead Sudbury into next season and beyond.

Laws said: “It was only once the season ended that I started to really think about it (taking the job full time). We stayed up on the Easter Monday but still had a game against Harborough to prepare for, so all of the focus was on that until the season was done.

“We discussed the situation internally and we all knew that a decision needed to be made quickly. You can’t have a first team with a manager void for too long because there’s planning to do, even if the season had just finished.

“People that know me know that I like a challenge – and this job is a challenge. I think the first team needs some stability and I can provide that, which suits the club. It would have been easy to step away after enjoying a little bit of success in keeping the club up. That would have been the easy choice but the easy choice isn’t always the right one.”

While Laws has had other previous spells in temporary charge of Sudbury, this will be the first time that he has taken permanent control of a senior side since leaving Leiston in 2013.

His focus in the years that have followed has been on developing young talent at the MEL Group Stadium, where he has overseen the impressive progression of the club’s academy.

And with Laws also set to continue in that role, he is confident that the two positions can dovetail neatly.

“My roots have always been in youth development and even as first-team manager that’s something I’ll be looking to do,” he added.

“It’s about making footballers better and helping them to develop. The principals are the same in both roles.

“I’m really fortunate to have great colleagues at the club who do an unbelievable job.”

One of the most pressing jobs in Laws’ in-tray is squad building.

And as was the case when he opted to take on the job, ‘stability’ will be a major factor.

“The appointment has only just happened so those are conversations we’ll have soon, but I want to retain as many of the players as I can,” said Laws prior to the departure of Matty Miles on Wednesday.

“I feel the players were receptive to our ideas and hopefully they want to come back. I certainly won’t be looking to make many changes and it comes back to that word again, stability.”