They say good things come to those who wait – and Dunfermline fans have certainly been made to wait for Neil Lennon.
When the announcement came that the Northern Irishman was definitely staying, it was nearly four weeks since the last game of the Championship campaign.
It was even longer since the Pars realistically knew they were safe from relegation and could plan for life again in the second-tier.
And it was three weeks since chairman and chief executive David Cook had declared the Fifers were ‘hopeful’ of reaching an agreement with Lennon and assistant Iain Brunskill.
During the intervening period, it was only natural that some supporters would get twitchy.
Other jobs became available at clubs where Lennon was regarded by some as a possible candidate.
But, privately, the confidence at East End Park never waned.
They maybe couldn’t shout it from the rooftops, but they knew that progress towards a successful conclusion was being steadily made.
Lennon has himself said now that he had ‘more or less’ agreed to stay on before the season ended.
It was just that the ‘more or less’ part took a while to be ironed out, whilst holidays were fitted into post-season schedules.
The mood music always appeared to point to the 53-year-old remaining as Dunfermline manager.
Lennon impact clear at DAFC
Had the Pars not been embroiled in a relegation battle that placed uncertainty over their future, the former Celtic and Hibernian boss could quite easily have been contracted for this season already.
The short-term deal agreed in March was better for both parties, just in case the first remit of keeping the club in the Championship proved too difficult. Such significant wages in League One would have been imprudent.
But it became clear quite quickly the telling impact Lennon could make on even a confidence-sapped and imbalanced squad.
It was also obvious early on the impression Dunfermline and their supporters were making on their new head coach.
Lennon recognised the history at East End Park, perhaps helped by Jock Stein’s central place in the story of both the Pars and his beloved Celtic.
And the flourishing relationship with owner James Bord, which quickly built during discussions over his initial arrangement, proved key when it came to the nitty-gritty of the most recent negotiations.
There was a desire on both sides to get it done, even if the minutiae got in the way.
And there was also the slightly bigger issue of the size of the budget that is crucial to proving the owners’ ambition.
It was, after all, only in the few days prior to Lennon’s new agreement, with the relegation of Ross County, that the identity of next season’s rivals for the Championship was confirmed.
However, there were no major stumbling blocks, and to all intents and purposes planning had continued as if Lennon was already the manager.
Lennon’s role in squad decisions
He helped sign off on the players who were released at the start of the month, and those who have been lined up for contract extensions.
He has also been at the heart of the hunt for the new signings that are needed if Dunfermline are to make good on their promise to be challenging at the right end of the division.
It was just that getting a new deal in place for the manager – something that was concluded on Wednesday, before the announcement was made 24 hours later – was needed to spark things to life.
Fresh faces are expected soon, with Lennon’s confirmation the first domino that needed to fall before kick-starting a sequence that quickly included the launch of season-tickets and Chris Hamilton’s new contract.
The Fifers may have been quietly and effectively going about their business behind the scenes for most of May, but June is expected to look a whole lot busier.
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