Neil Lennon's first words on Dunfermline Athletic 'project' after committing future to the Pars
'Excited' Neil Lennon has vowed to rebuild Dunfermline after agreeing to stay on as Pars manager.
The former Celtic and Hibernian boss has penned a two-year deal to bring to an end lengthy negotiations over the past month.
The 53-year-old signed only a short-term contract when he arrived with assistant Iain Brunskill in March but always said he was open to remaining in charge for longer.
Having helped save the Fifers from the spectre of relegation by leading the team to seventh in the Championship table, Lennon had been in discussions over fresh terms ever since.
And, having now ironed out the details, the Northern Irishman has confessed there is a big job ahead in his East End Park 'project'.
'I'm just delighted,' he said after putting pen to paper on Thursday. 'I'm excited.
'I've been feeling really welcome here. Now I want to make an impact on the club in a positive way.
'Iain [Brunskill] and myself really enjoyed the couple of months we were here. But we want to improve all aspects of the club, we want to build it.
'It's a project for me. I don't use that term very often in football, but there's a lot of work to be done here.
'Ultimately, it's about getting a really good product on the pitch and that's what we intend to do.'
Lennon took the reins after the sacking of Michael Tidser in March, with Dunfermline sitting second-bottom and just seven points above basement side Airdrie.
Despite losing his debut match in charge 3-0 away to Scott Brown's Ayr United, Lennon steered the Pars to vital wins over Livingston and Queen's Park and goalless draws against Partick Thistle and Airdrie.
They finished with a six-point lead over the Diamonds, who ended up in ninth because Hamilton Accies were deducted 15 points for SPFL rule breaches.
The Fifers have since freed eight first-team players and said goodbye to six loanees, whilst entering talks with Chris Hamilton, Josh Cooper, Tashan Oakley-Boothe, Jeremiah Chilokoa-Mullen, Victor Wanyama and Lewis McCann over contract extensions.
With chairman and chief executive David Cook indicating the East End Park men are determined to 'have a go' at winning promotion next term, it promises to be a busy summer for Lennon.
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