Chairman’s update – Friday 15th March 2019

Mar 15, 2019 | Archive

TOMORROW, we make the short trip up the road to Carrickfergus, to take on Niall Currie’s ‘Amber Army’.

Following our last visit to The Belfast Loughshore Arena we will take nothing for granted, and will go in well prepared to avenge that last reversal.

Massive respect goes to Niall, his backroom team and their charges, as they continue to lead the way in the much-coveted chase for second place, to gain home advantage in the Championship play-off game. 

I pass a final word on our visitors to Caolan Loughran, whom we had with us on loan for the second half of last season. Caolan was an absolute gentleman, in how he conducted himself during his time with us, and is an absolute credit to his family. He has a wee bit about him when he crosses the white line, which is needed in every team.

I’m delighted to see how he has kicked on this term to become the ‘prolific’, self-confessed ‘Big Pogba’ who won the NIFWA player of the month award for February, even though I’m biased and thought it should have Davy McDaid again. However, congratulations and all the best for the remainder of the season pal, starting next week of course!

Now, where do I start on last week?

What a day for our club and our town, a day that has been in the making for far longer than the past eighteen months.

Yes, it was a very proud day for Kenny and I, both personally and professionally, but for us it was really about the fans and board members who put the hard yards in and kept Larne FC alive throughout the lean years. I said at the outset that you would enjoy the good days more than most, and I’d like to think last Saturday evening was the first payback on this. 

I have watched the bond between our players, management, supporters and directors grow over the last eighteen months, with everyone buying into the ‘One Team Culture’ mentality. I can only see these relationships continue to grow, given this week’s announcement of Richard Todd and Callum McIlroy as Supporters Liaison Officer’s, working between the fans and the board.

The scenes we witnessed last Saturday, both at full-time and into the early evening were really special and somewhat emotional, the players and management were treated like kings, and rightly so, they deserve every plaudit they get.

We now look forward to the trophy presentation on Saturday 6th April after the final whistle of our game with Portadown. This will be a truly monumental occasion in the history of our great club and one that I’m sure will live long in the memory.

We’ve two games of football against Carrick Rangers and Portadown to play out in advance of this and would dearly love to be lifting the trophy six points richer than we sit today. That is definitely the plan.

Before concluding, I would like to thank everyone for their continued support throughout the season, I’d like to ask for a big travelling support at Carrick tomorrow and ultimately a bumper crowd at our last two home games against the Ports and The Welders. 

The Ports game will be your opportunity to thank the players for the job they have done in bringing silverware to Inver Park for the first time in 32 years, and the Welders game will be the players opportunity to thank you, the fans. We really are hoping for two special days and you have a massive part to play in both, let’s get together and make it happen.

Finally, can I wish the newly formed, Bodega Reds Larne Supporters Club every success, both tomorrow on their first outing and for the months and hopefully years to come. If you get behind the parent club in the way the Inver Red & Whites have steadfastly down the years it can only be good for the club.  Good luck…

Our Town, Our Club

Regards

Gareth

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