Just days after the Magpies sealed the deal and claimed the First Division minor premiership in his first year as a head coach Law announced he will part ways with the club and rejoin Adamstown next season.

“I go with a heavy heart but I go happy with what has been achieved,” Law told the Mercury.

“It has been an honour and a privilege to be part of what has just happened and to experience that moment with people like the Broadley family.

“I was just the last piece in a jigsaw puzzle that has been building for the last 12 years.”

The Magpies will play in the Northern NSW National Premier League (NPL) in 2015 after an 8-0 final round win against Toronto Awaba on Sunday clinched first place on the ladder.

This result erased the pain of five runner-up tags during the last six seasons and ended a 12-year quest to rejoin the main draw.

Law, who will be replaced by former Lake Macquarie mentor Chris Turner, expects this to be the start of a bright future for football in the Maitland area.

“Believe me Maitland were a sleeping giant but they have been woken up now and I fully expect them to challenge in the NPL,” he said.

Law came to the Magpies in 2014 from his role as assistant coach at Adamstown, which gained promotion and denied Maitland both minor and major premierships in First Division last year.

Law now returns to Adamstown on a three-year deal and will coach against Maitland in the NPL next season.

Adamstown were the first club Law became associated with in Australia in 2010 after the Scotsman arrived in the Hunter region.

Last year Law was overlooked for the job as Adamstown head coach in favour of his Maitland predecessor Anthony Richards, who will not be at the Rosebuds next year.

The emotional football ride of the last 12 months made it a tough decision for Law to make but he felt the time was right.

The split was an amicable one according to both parties and Magpies president Chris Rafferty said Law had achieved his goal.

“The mission was to win a premiership and get promoted so it was mission accomplished,” Rafferty said.

“Graham came here knowing what was expected and he achieved that with a good band of boys so the club is very grateful.

“I think Graham will always have Maitland close to his heart and maintain friendships at Maitland.”

Law said his focus now remains solely on getting the Magpies across the line and claiming the club’s first major premiership in the top grade since 2009.

“A lot of people say that the grand final doesn’t matter, only the premiership,” Law said.

“But now we have won the league and been promoted the grand final is the most important thing for us.”

Maitland face cross-town rivals and fourth-placed Thornton in a home-and-away semi-final series during the next two weekends with the Redbacks hosting the opener on Saturday.

The Magpies and Redbacks are the only two First Division clubs to qualify all three teams in the play-offs.