Andy Peaks rewarded for Tamworth heroics with a full-time managerial contract

The Northampton-born former AFC Rushden & Diamonds boss guided the Lambs to the third round of the Emirates FA Cup, taking Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur to extra-time on Sunday, before losing out 3-0.

National League Tamworth were more than a match for Spurs for most of the match, deservedly drawing 0-0 after 90 minutes, and they very nearly snatched what would have been a sensational winner in stoppage time, with both Thomas McGlinchey and Jordan Cullinane-Liburd going close.

But it was Ange Postecoglou's north Londoners who somewhat fortuitously won through in the end thanks to a Nathan Tshikuna own goal and strikes from Dejan Kulusevski and Brennan Johnson.

The plaudits all went to Peaks and his Tamworth players though, and the 54-year-old can now look forward to becoming a full-time manager for the first time, after years of juggling a full-time teaching job with part-time boss roles.

Former Duston Upper School pupil Peaks will work out his notice at Tresham College in Kettering and then go full-time at Tamworth from next month.

The move is just reward for the job the former Northampton Spencer boss has done in Staffordshire, guiding the Lambs to successive league title wins and promotions and a mid-table spot in the National League.

A club statement read: "Tamworth Football Club are delighted to announce that manager Andy peaks has been secured on a new full-time long term contract with the club.

"The contract will see Andy with the club until the end of the 2027 season.

"Due to the success of the previous promotion seasons and the club's current FA cup run, this has allowed the club to reinvest back into the infrastructure.

"Andy will start the new role around mid February once his current position at Tresham College in Kettering terminates."

The news is music to the ears of Kettering-based Peaks, who admitted recently when he was linked with the hot seat at Northampton Town that his ambition was to become a full-time manager, and he said: "I am delighted to have accepted the offer to go full time with the club.

"This will allow me to focus and concentrate on securing the club's position within the National League. I can’t wait to get started in the role.”

Peaks' playing squad will still be part-time moving forward, but a few of them may now find themselves on the radar of full-time clubs after their performance against Spurs.

And their manager was quick to speak of his pride in their performance, admitting: "I am immensely proud.

"I said to the players, ‘don’t be disappointed because we almost created history there’.

"They were disappointed at the end because I think they were that close to nicking a goal at the end and it would have made it 1-0 to us, but I said ‘be proud’."

"Even this week it didn’t really sink in what we were actually going to do. It will probably take a few days, but I think we had an opportunity."

"Equally, when you look at the team they had, for us to compete with them for such a long time, I’m like ‘wow’."

"It is unbelievable. The players they had out there at the end, you look at the bench and who they are bringing on, it just speaks volumes for what we are all about and we made it so hard for them to play through us."

Spurs boss Postecoglou also had praise for Peaks and his Tamworth team.

"Firstly credit to Tamworth, I thought they gave everything and gave a really good account of themselves," said the Australian.

"And we will remember it too because it’s a unique experience for us in terms of the kind of challenge we had. I enjoyed it. It was a good day."