Having safely navigated Helensburgh through their first campaign back in the Premier League, head coach Andy Paine is now ready for his next chapter in football.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Thistle announced on Saturday morning that Paine would not return as their IPL mentor in 2024 after accepting a new role as a first-grade coach at a NPL NSW club.
After guiding Bellambi back into the IPL in 2020, Paine moved on to Helensburgh, where he accepted a role as their District League head coach.
The Thistles showed great signs in their first campaign under Paine, which was cut short due to COVID. In 2022, he led the side to the league championship, which saw him named Coach of the Year and the side gain promotion to this year's Premier League.
Burgh finished their first season in the IPL in eighth position after claiming eight wins, including a 4-0 rout of Port Kembla in the last round.
Paine - with support from his dad Alan - has also made a huge contribution to Helensburgh's junior club, led by the introduction of a training program for the under-eights to under-11s that was delivered by the Thistle's Premier League players.
"He has helped implement a whole club playing philosophy and structure, starting with juniors and building through to the seniors," Burgh senior club president Jason Bell said in a statement.
"His commitment to training sessions is exceptional, and he will long be remembered for being the only coach in history to utilise every single cone in the storage shed."
After three years with the club, Paine thanked everyone who had been "so supportive and generous with their time".
"I've made so many great friends over the past three seasons and made some great football memories along the way," he said.
"The club has made amazing strides to be positioned where they are now, and I have no doubt that it will push further forward again next season."
Our news app has had a makeover, making it faster and giving you access to even more great content. Download The Illawarra Mercury news app in the Apple Store and Google Play.
Joshua Bartlett
A sporting fanatic who is keen to promote all codes in the Illawarra and abroad. Mercury's chief football reporter.
A sporting fanatic who is keen to promote all codes in the Illawarra and abroad. Mercury's chief football reporter.
