Scholarship Head Coach Keith O’Hara has moved to make two key appointments within the club’s development coaching staff.
Returning to the club with Larne Olympic (under-20’s level) is Neil Candlish, while experienced Irish League boss Eddie Patterson has taken control of the under-18’s on matchdays.
Players at both age groups, competing in the NIFL development leagues, are made up of the exciting talent currently enrolled with the club’s Scholarship programme.
Neil Candlish, who will need no introduction to Larne fans as a player or coach, has returned to assist Keith on matchdays as they take on their Premiership counterparts up and down the country.
Keith said: “Neil is someone I would have known very briefly from his previous spells at Portadown – although his hair might have been a bit longer in those days!
“I can’t claim to have known him all that well, but he is someone who had a great career in the Irish League and has a wealth of knowledge to pass on to the young players coming through.
“It’s really important for them to have different experiences like that to tap into and Neil has been great in that regard and working with myself on matchdays.
“I’m all for anything which helps development and Neil knows this level having coached here previously, so it’s great to have him in.”
The club’s under-18’s meanwhile, are competing in Group A of the NIFL development league, currently sitting in fourth place after seven outings.
Taking charge of the team on matchdays is former Cliftonville and Glentoran boss Eddie Patterson, someone who first team manager Tiernan Lynch has worked under in the past.
Keith added: “Eddie could well be an Irish League manager, nevermind working with our under-18’s.
“Im privileged to be able to learn from him and he is fantastic with our players. He is their matchday manager and has been a pleasure to work with.
“You can see that with not only his tactical knowledge, but in how he understands players and can get the best out of them.
“It’s a big coup for the club to have someone like Eddie in this position and the players don’t realise yet how fortunate they are to have him.
“He obviously knows Tiernan and Seamus well and is well placed to implement the style of play that we want to have at Larne, in terms of being possession based and on the front foot so he is the ideal to have in that role.”
