SCARBOROUGH boss Russell Slade is poised to sign a new two-year contract to stay in charge at the McCain Stadium.

Slade (pictured below) has done a remarkable job in transforming the Seasiders' fortunes since taking over last November when the club was stranded at the bottom of the Nationwide Conference.

The ex-Notts County manager hauled Scarborough up to a 12th-placed finish and chairman Malcom Reynolds has removed any uncertainty about Slade's future by agreeing an extended deal.

Reynolds confirmed: "We did that yesterday. There was no problem and there never was."

Slade had been linked over the weekend with the vacant manager's job at Carlisle but both he and Reynolds insisted there had been no foundation to the story.

The chairman added: "We had already decided how to do his new contract but we just had things to tinker with, like bonuses.

"I'm preparing that in a formal contract today and we'll meet again tomorrow to get that out of the way. It was always going to be this way."

It's hoped that once Slade has put pen to paper the bulk of this season's squad will follow suit.

The manager released four players at the end of last week but wants the rest to stay after they proved during the end-of-season run-in that they are a match for any side in the Conference.

Updated: 12:21 Tuesday, April 30, 2002