Hornchurch manager Mark Stimson has agreed a two-year contract extension with the club as they look to build on the foundations that have already been put in place.

The Urchins appointed the former Gillingham boss on November 29, 2018 after Jimmy McFarlane left following a 10-year stint in charge.

Stimson, a former Newcastle United, Portsmouth and Southend player, is one of the most accomplished Non-League managers in the game having enjoyed three successive FA Trophy triumphs with Grays Athletic (twice) and Stevenage.

And he has this season guided Hornchurch to the Trophy final on May 22, where they face Hereford at Wembley Stadium.

“I’m delighted to accept it and look forward to trying to build on what we’ve already started,” said Stimson.

“I’m very pleased with that. We spoke about what we’re doing is amazing and we can’t wait for it to be here so we can enjoy it but also another eye on the future.

“As soon as this game is out of the way we’ll be talking to the squad and trying to get them to come on board as well, then really try to build on what we’ve got going now.

“We want to build on the success of this season.”

Stimson came in and stabilised things in his first season before enjoying a successful Isthmian League Premier Division campaign which was made null and void due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The current 2020-21 campaign has followed the same theme, other than Hornchurch have continued playing thanks to their Trophy success.

“When we first came the conversation was to try playing a certain way and to also be successful, there has been a lot of turnaround in players, but the ones we’ve brought in has added to the group," he added.

“If it wasn’t for the situation over the last two seasons, who knows where we might have been now, but we’ve dealt with it in the best possible way and that is being in this great competition.

“We’re looking forward to a great day out at Wembley and if you would have said that when I took over - that you’d be playing in a Trophy final - everyone would have laughed, so that shows you how far we’ve come in this short space of time that has been very interrupted due to Covid.”