SAINTS chairman Eamonn McManus believes that extending Keiron Cunningham’s contract by another two years up until the end of 2018 will give the club stability, continuity and benefit the team moving forward.

McManus believes Cunningham showed his mettle as a coach last year after steering an injury-ravaged team, that had lost experienced leaders early on in the campaign, within a hair’s breadth of Old Trafford.

The swift decision to retain the coach is a contrast to time under Cunningham’s three Australian predecessors Mick Potter, Royce Simmons and Nathan Brown whose second terms were characterised by uncertainty and speculation from the outset.

McManus said: “We wanted to sort it out swiftly after the initial two-year contract. After the first year you either renew or you don’t and that is in everyone’s interests to do it.

“Keiron is a young, talented and ambitious British coach who, even at the very beginning of his career, has already won the absolute respect of his team and of all at his Club.

“It as a difficult first season, in a very tough campaign in a more equal competition, he took an injury-ravaged team to within a whisker of an Old Trafford Grand Final which I believe we would have won. He will continue to gain experience, as will his young side.

“This early decision is good for the club as a whole, not just the team. It gives Keiron confidence because he is not just looking at the next game or the next trophy, but is able to plan properly for the squad in the years ahead.

“And the team will clearly benefit from that because it will permeate throughout the club.

“It is the right move for all concerned.”

Saints went into 2015 as reigning champions but the premature retirement of Paul Wellens and Lance Hohaia, the injury curse that decimated all who wore the full back shirt and struck down back rowers Atelea Vea and Joe Greenwood and issues surrounding Luke Walsh’s recovery from a broken leg conspired to make it a rocky spell at the helm, particularly around Easter.

Those are factors the board took on board.

McManus added: “Keiron had to adapt to losing senior players and leadership early on in the season.

“Then we had Luke Walsh coming back later than anticipated and then when he did he was not fully fit and lacking in confidence.

“It was a year to test Keiron’s ability and character and I think he came through it very well.”

Although pleased with the extension, Cunningham said the early decision came as a surprise really.

“I had initially signed a two-year deal and Eamonn always did say that if things went well in the first year that they would want to extend in order to give the club some stability as much as myself.

“I spoke to him at the conclusion of the year and he was pretty keen to get it done and sorted. It is good for me and my mentality as a coach. It means I am doing something right.

“My team are not far off and this gives me chance to build something good over the next three years.

“This club means everything to me and I work really hard - and I have not got this job simply because I was a really good player.

“I have worked hard under previous coaches and feel I deserved my shot and had a pretty decent year last season. The club have given me another two years so I must be doing something right in the club’s eyes.

“I always strive for perfection and will work as hard as I possibly can to do things for this club.”

In the short term Cunningham believes changes that have been made to the squad, through recruitment and junior promotions, will equip the team to weather any storms that 2016 throw at it.

“I am hopeful for this year, with a good, thick squad and plenty of new signings and new kids coming through and others coming of age so we have a good balance.

“Last year was tough - and it always is when you are coming off the back of a Grand Final win and that does not matter how experienced a coach you are.

“It did not alter my thought process, we did some good things last year, played some lovely rugby at times and brought in a style of rugby that was reminiscent of Saints of old.

“I want us to be good on both sides of the ball and for large portions of the season we were up there as one of the best attacking and, with Huddersfield, the best defensive team.

"My staff around me work really hard and they are the ones that don’t get the plaudits."