BRIAN Laws today achieved his goal of becoming Sheffield Wednesday's long-serving manager of the last decade and said he was "proud and pleased".
It was a target that the Owls boss set when he was appointed on November 6, 2006, to replace Paul Sturrock.
Laws, who recently celebrated his second anniversary in charge and signed a new contract to 2011, today passes Sturrock's reign by one day and becomes the longest-serving Wednesday boss since 1997 when David Pleat was fired.
"Stability really is paramount for the club at this time and that is part of the reason why I wanted to stay," Laws told The Star.
"I have spoken to the directors about the planning for the future and there can be progress at this vital time.
"If you don't have stability at a club then it makes things even more difficult.
"I'm not a fly-by-night manager, never have been. One I get my roots in there, I don't want to shift."
Laws was well aware of the Owls' history of a rapid turnover of managers at the time he took the job. He was the ninth appointment in nine years.
The Owls manager joked: "I also feel like I've climbed Mount Everest; at times it's been like climbing Mount Everest without ropes. I'm delighted to stick my flag on the top!"
He added: "I said when I came here that I wanted to be the longest-serving manager in 10 years; I'm proud and very pleased."
Laws also feels that his landmark puts into perspective a time of
relative instability at the Hillsborough.
His aim now is to stay for as long as possible and take the club as high as possible.
Pleat served for almost two and a half years until he left in 1997.
Laws has outlasted Ron Atkinson, whose brief second spell in charge ended in 1998; Danny Wilson, Peter Shreeves, who served for two spells; Paul Jewell, Terry Yorath, Chris Turner and now Sturrock.
The Owls manager also last month passed his century of games in charge.
He is on course to overtake the length of Pleat's reign, towards the end of this season, and would then be the longest-serving manager since the four-year stay of Pleat's predecessor, Trevor Francis, which ended in 1995.
Lost Decade
OWLS managers who have been overtaken in service by Brian Laws in recent history:
Ron Atkinson 1997-98
Danny Wilson 1998-2000
Peter Shreeves 2000
Paul Jewell 2000-01
Peter Shreeves 2001
Terry Yorath 2001-02
Chris Turner 2002-04
Paul Sturrock 2004-06 The last manager to serve longer was David Pleat (just under two and half years). READ MOREMagic of the FA Cup is worth protecting: TALKING SPORT WITH JAMES SHIELD Blades Watch 08-09 - The Season So FarOwls Watch 08-09 - The Season So FarWatch Premiership highlights, international football, golf, tennis, darts and much moreFootball headlinesMore BladesMore OwlsMore SpireitesMore RoversMore RedsMore MillersMore Ice HockeyMore rugby leagueMore rugby unionMore boxingSports columnistsAll sport categoriesThe full article contains 538 words and appears in Sheffield Star newspaper.
