Shelbourne are set to stand by manager Ian Morris despite their relegation to the SSE Airtricity League First Division last weekend.
Shels were enjoying a steady return to the top flight but suffered a dramatic collapse in form at the end of the season.
The Drumcondra outfit were level on points with eventual fourth-place side Sligo Rovers after a 1-0 win with two matches left in their campaign.
But a remarkable resurgence from Finn Harps brought three wins for the Donegal outfit and Shels slipped to losses to Derry City and Shamrock Rovers to consign them to ninth place, as well as a morale-sapping 4-1 loss to second tier strugglers Athlone Town in the FAI Cup quarter-finals.
Longford Town emerged from the play-offs in the First Division and earned a 1-0 win last Sunday in Richmond Park to demote Shels after just one season back in the Premier.
Morris took the reins at Shels in November 2018, aged just 31. In 2019 he led Shels to the First Division title.
In a statement on their website this afternoon, the Shelbourne board revealed they are sticking by their manager.
He is contracted until November 2022 after penning a three-year contract 12 months ago.
It reads: "We're devastated that our first season back in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division ended the way it did.
"From our strong start in sold out stadiums to utterly unprecedented behind closed doors games, it was most definitely not how we envisaged it.
"Of course, returning to the First Division is a huge setback for our men’s senior team and we want to assure our supporters that planning is already underway to ensure we’re best-placed to challenge for promotion back to where we belong in 2021.
"Ian Morris and his backroom team have been hurt deeply by the season’s end and are determined to bring the Reds back to Ireland’s top flight."
Morris will communicate with Shels supporters on a podcast next week.
The statement continued: "Though obviously a disappointment, our long-term planning remains in place and we are buoyed by the success we’re seeing within our Academy and our Women’s National League team."
