Liam Watson back for third spell as Southport manager

Get all your latest Lancashire Post sports news by following @LP_Sport on TwitterThe two-time National League North winner at Haig Avenue replaces Kevin Davies who was sacked six months into his first management job.

Watson guided the Sandgrounders to the title in both the 2004-5 and 2009-10 seasons as well as finishing seventh in 2011-12.

He also won the division with AFC Telford in the 2013-14 campaign.

Following his spell on Southport’s board during the 2016/17 season he has most recently been carrying out a scouting role for Scunthorpe United.

“It is great to be back, and I am looking forward to the challenge,” Watson said.

“We have the nucleus of a squad capable of winning promotion and we have already identified targets to strengthen.

“We have the budget available to put together a squad which can play an attractive, attacking style of football and I can’t wait to get started.

“It’s important to me that the club now has the ambition to match my own, and I believe that I can now achieve all of my managerial dreams here at Southport, something I’ve not been able to achieve previously.”

On behalf of the board, James Treadwell said: “His managerial pedigree at this level is clear and we are confident that in Liam and Jon McCarthy we have the management team with the knowledge, experience and expertise to achieve our goals.

“This will be an exciting summer as we put together a strong squad capable of winning promotion together with the improvements to the ground.”