WARRINGTON Town have confirmed that manager Paul Carden has left the club to join National League North side AFC Telford United.
The Yellows had announced after their 2-2 draw with Mickleover that they had received an approach from a club in a higher division for their highly rated manager.
He has now agreed terms and his five-year tenure at Cantilever Park is over.
A club statement said: “It is with a heavy heart that the club parts company with Paul, and we did everything we could to persuade him to stay.
“He has led the club to its highest ever league position, third in the Northern Premier League, in his two full seasons in charge.
“No one connected with Warrington Town will ever forget the NPL play-off final win away at South Shields, which in any other season would have earned both Paul and the club a deserved promotion.
“Unfortunately, the pandemic robbed Paul of the chance of following that up in the past two seasons, and finishes with a win percentage of just over 50% in 221 games in charge.
“His focus on doing his best for the club and his players throughout his time meant that it was only right for the club to do the same for him when receiving the approach.
“We know how difficult of a decision it was to make but that Telford is a big club with fantastic facilities.
“Paul had a great relationship with everyone at the club and will be sorely missed. He and his family will always be welcome at Cantilever Park.”
Carden’s assistant Mark Beesley will take interim charge of Warrington Town’s next game, at home to Morpeth Town in the FA Trophy on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the club has also requested that no approaches are made to its players by Carden until the end of the season.
Carden took charge of 221 games, winning 111, and led Warrington to third place in his two full seasons in charge – 2017/18 and 2018/19.
They were also third when the 2019/20 season was curtailed in March 2020 due to coronavirus.
The Yellows are still the reigning NPL play-off champions.
They sit just outside the play-off places after 18 games following the draw at Mickleover, but with a game in hand on those above them.
