FIRST team manager Tiernan Lynch has placed on record his thanks to Development coaches as they leave their roles at the club.
In line with the Club’s full-time vision, next season’s Development squads, at both under-18 and under-20 level will be operating on a full-time basis.
This means a restructuring of the coaching staff, with the Club currently recruiting to fill the position of Scholarship Head Coach.
Lynch was quick to pay tribute to the outgoing coaches Darrin Crawford (pictured), Neil Candlish and Ronan McGrath, as well as a number of players, who will now be moving on.
“We have been clear for the last 12 months that part of the Club’s vision is to have full-time sides at Development level, as we look to continue to ‘grow our own’,” he said.
“Unfortunately, that means good people moving on, in the form of Darrin, Neil & Ronan and I want to pay tribute to the work they have done.
“When I arrived three years ago it was basically a matter of starting from scratch in terms of building up these age groups.
“The coaching staff have done a super job, and have shown real perseverance during their time at the club.
“I want to put on record the thanks of the club for the work they have done and the progress they’ve helped put in place.
“The same goes for the players in that age group who will be moving on now. As we explained when we met with them recently, regardless of whether they continue on as players or not, we see them as part of the Larne family and want them to be with us as supporters and a part of the club in years to come.”
Looking to the future, Lynch is also excited by having a full-time set-up immediately below the first team squad.
He added: “The Scholarship programme has proven to be very successful in the first year and we really excited to see what year two brings us as an intake.
“We have already seen some fruit from this, with the likes of Matty Lusty and Ryley D’Sena making the first team squad this season.
“Our long-term goal is to be competing regularly in Europe and at the top end of the Irish League.
“We’ve seen how many other clubs are moving to full-time models, and that is only likely to increase as the years go on.
“If we want to continue to be at the forefront, we need to be developing our own on a professional basis so that they are ready for the full-time environment of the first team squad.
“The Scholarship programme and having our Development squads working on this basis from next season onwards is a big step towards that.”
