ACCRINGTON Stanley chairman Ilyas Khan hopes Paul Cook and Leam Richardson will remain at the club for as long as John Coleman and Jimmy Bell – insisting he would proud to have either of the new management duo as sons.

Cook and assistant Richardson have both signed two-and-a-half-year contracts to follow Coleman and Bell, who enjoyed great success in almost 13 years with the Reds.

“It would be wonderful if Paul and Leam here as long as John and Jimmy,” Khan said. “But at the same time we are a club who nurture talent and if Paul and Leam end up going to a Premier League or Championship club earlier that would be pleasing too.

“I look at Paul and Leam, I’m older than them by a margin and I think if they were my two boys as sons I’d love it.

“They’re straight forward but they’re hard as nails, they’re ambitious but at the same time they’re courteous and respectful.

“I think that reflects the environment we’re in at the moment, you need to combine those things, so I’m so thrilled.”

Stanley intended to take their time over an appointment, with Richardson initially in caretaker charge, but later decided they had to move quickly to land Cook.

“After John and Jimmy’s departure we were inundated with interest,” he said. “I was shocked and surprised at the number of people, the sheer volume and the quality of people.

“I think if Paul had not been in the mix I don’t this club would have made a decision for a while.

“When we went to bed on the day after Leam was announced, I think we all were of the view that we would stay with that particular team until the end of the season.

“But Sligo’s season was about to start so the reason for a quick decision was driven by the fact there was a timetable on the other side.”