Simon Goodwin has signed a new contract extension, which will see him remain the senior coach of the Melbourne Football Club for the next four years.

Initially contracted until the end of 2019, Goodwin agreed to an additional three years, keeping him in the role until at least the end of the 2022 season.

The decision to extend Goodwin’s tenure was ratified by the Melbourne Board on Monday night, with CEO Gary Pert delighted to confirm the news today to players, coaches and staff.

“It’s great for the Club to announce, prior to the season starting, that Simon Goodwin has signed on for the next four years,” he told Melbourne Media.

“It is certainly a show of confidence from the Board, Josh Mahoney and myself in Simon as a coach and what he is producing out on field, but also the culture that he is building in our football department.

“This is the Board signing off that these are the people, this is the leadership, this is the program and this is the culture that we believe will take the Melbourne Football Club to where we want to go over the next four years. It’s an investment in those people and the program, so that makes it pretty exciting.”

Pert also acknowledged Goodwin’s impact on the entire football program, giving emphasis to the strong relationships he has built with the playing group, staff and wider Club.

“Simon is a very big influence on the whole group; the players and the coaches, because he is such a teacher and educator,” he said.

“I think every player and coach would say that while the team is growing and performing better, they are also growing individually, and that is an integral part of the entire program.”

Chairman Glen Bartlett also welcomed the news, saying he was ecstatic to have a coach of Simon’s calibre at the helm for the next four years.

“Simon Goodwin is the ideal Melbourne Football Club ambassador,” Bartlett said.

“He lives and breathes our standards, behaviours and values, which has a ripple effect through the entire football department.”

Goodwin, who coached Melbourne to a preliminary final and its first finals campaign in 12 years last year, first joined the Demons in 2015.

Arriving from the Essendon Football Club, he was appointed a senior assistant coach under the leadership of Paul Roos, before moving into the senior coaching role in 2017.