Larne man doesn't forget his football roots
Larne Times Jun 98

LARNE Football Club is featured on the world wide web — thanks to a fan based in Thailand.

Adam was brought up in Larne but now lives in Northern Thailand where he works in the travel trade.

It is thanks to Adam that Larne FC has an unofficial internet web site which can viewed by computer users all over the world. He has been running it since January 1997 along with a smaller site on Ballyclare Comrades.

Although his internet feature has no official links with Inver Park, it could prove very useful to the club on the transfer front.

As the "Times" reported recently, a Norwegian player sent an e-mail to express an interest in playing for Larne. That was done though Adam's web site and an American player has also been in touch more recently.

Adam gets his up-to-date information on Larne F.C. from a number of sources, not least the Larne Times.

A Northern Ireland soccer e-mail service run by Ballymena man Martin Harris has proved invaluable. Martin has been very helpful and buys the Larne Times to ensure Adam gets all the news.

In addition, the Times has its own weekly sports news web page on www.mortonnewspapers.com.

Adam, who still has strong family ties to Larne, gets e-mail correspondence from all over the globe as a result of his internet efforts.

"I've had some of my old neighbours and people I used to know contact me; some obscure places such as Canada, New Zealand and of course Larne. Someone I went to primary school sent me an e-mail a while back.

"The expats seem to really like the site — it's nostalgia mainly, I suppose," he told the "Times".

He hasn't seen the Inver men play since 1992 when he was part of a group of supporters who travelled down for matches in Galway and Sligo. Larne won both games.

He had a real soccer treat last year when Northern Ireland played a match in Bangkok. "I went to see them and met up with the IFA officials, the then manager Brian Hamilton and his assistant Gerry Armstrong.

"There were a few of us from Ulster and the IFA seemed genuinely amazed to have supporters visiting them. The match was a 0-0 draw but the atmosphere was good and it was great to go to see a big game again," he explained.

Adam's web sites include:

Larne Football Club: http://www.oocities.org/TheTropics/8584/larne_fc.html

Ballyclare Comrades: http://www.oocities.org/Yosemite/Trails/1118/bclare.htm

General information about Thailand is available at: http://www.thaifocus.com

Parks - Appointed Manager for season 03 Jan 98

Larne will appoint Frankie Parks as their new manager within the next 48 hours. Parks, who succeeds Kel McDermott, has agreed to take charge until the end of the season. Parks, who was manager of Cliftonville and then no.2 to Paul Kirk at Distillery, has impressed the Larne board. A source said: "He's a professional with loads of experience and that's what has been missing. We need someone who can go out and get players and we feel Frankie is the man for the job."

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Kell on outward path 02 Jan 98

McDERMOTT SACKED

Kel McDermott was sensationally sacked as player/manager of Larne last night - not long after arriving back from England with his wife and family. It was certainly far from a Happy New Year greeting for the 35 year old former Manchester United and Linfield midfielder. He plunged into management six months ago, after a lengthy spell as a player with Carrick Rangers. Said a shocked and stunned McDermott: "The chairman of Larne Football Club phoned me to say that the Committee had reached a decision to ask me stand down. Everything appears very unclear to me. It was a quick type of phone call not long after I had arrived back from Manchester. "Before the shock dismissal I was in touch with Frankie Parks to find out how the team played at Dixon Park. I missed the game at Ballyclare Comrades and we were planning for the New Years Day first division game at home to Dungannon Swifts. All I've been told is that I have been sacked because of the inconsistency of results. "That is the reason given but I cannot see it. Since I joined Larne as a player/manager, and they asked me to take the job, I was in charge for 29 matches. We won 10, drew four and lost 15. "I consider that not a bad return especially as I'm new to this type of job and had no previous experience as a manager. "I can't figure it all out. It was not a bad return from the matches played and I feel there has been something else for Larne's decision to sack me." Larne chairman Sam McCready said last night that Parks has agreed to act as caretaker boss and will be in charge of the team for today's home game against Dungannon Swifts.

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Lamb for Christmas Dinner 23 Dec 97

"They think it's all over" a football related BBC programme with the likes of Linnegar and Co. today hosted songs from Inver Park. Not quite Stars on Sunday with Gordy McKay and Keith Rainey in the choir but the parks ambience was beamed to an estimated audience of up to 5 million. Fans were asked to sing "Mary had a little lamb" then the cameras froze the action. The panel were then asked to guess what followed.

BBC researchers found out about the song by apparently viewing this site!

Hurrah for Mary, Hurrah for the Lamb .........

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Kell on warpath 20 Nov 97

THE kid gloves are off, Kel McDermott deciding it's time to take remedial action to prevent the imminent slide towards oblivion at the wrong end of the First Division of the Irish League. And nobody at the club is immune from the manager's wrath!

"It was terrible, absolutely dreadful" stated a thoroughly dejected Larne manager after Saturday's defeat at Stangmore Park, a place where defeat is rapidly becoming the norm for the Inver Park team.

Such performances are just not acceptable to the former Linfield player and he insists he will not allow players to merely go through the motions.

"I have been working hard to bring in fresh faces and the fruit of my labour will hopefully be further seen in the very near future" he assured.

"As you are aware, Paul Miskelly and Francie Harrison have already made an impact, and I am actively pursuing three more players as we speak.

"I had contact again on Sunday night with one of them and spoke with the other two on Monday night. They all seem keen enough and now it's a question of deliberating with their clubs and the Larne board to see if we can get something sorted out fairly quickly.

"I'm afraid I can't divulge any details about the individuals concerned, other than to say one is currently playing with a junior club and the others are First Division players.

"I don't want to give anything more away, even to say which positions they play in. But I will tell you this much, there is a good spread in the positional sense and nobody at Inver Park can regard themselves as safe from the axe.

"It's up to everybody currently on the Larne books to decide whether they want to continue as they are doing, looking for sympathy and excuses, or they can buck up their ideas and decide they are going out there to show this guy McDermott that they really can play a bit.

"But, if they wish to convince me they should be part of the squad, they are running out of time. I will be making changes just as soon as I can manage it" he promised.

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Miskelly and Coulter for Inver? 06 Nov 97

KEL McDermott is hoping to sign two vastly experienced Irish League players in time for Saturday's match at home to Ballyclare Comrades - goalkeeper Paul Miskelly and Jackie Coulter.

The Larne manager had talks with Miskelly at training on Tuesday night and he has been in discussion with Bangor manager Davy Chisholm about the possibility of signing Coulter.

Miskelly, who works as a storeman, is now 26 and first made his name with Carrick Rangers, later playing for Bangor and latterly having had a stint with Coleraine.

Coulter, a 29 year old postman, began his career with Linfield and had two spells at Clandeboye - on either side of a four year stint at Taylor's Avenue. He is equally proficient as a fullback or in midfield.

The common denominator between the two targets and the manager is, of course, that they all played together for Carrick Rangers.

"Miskelly is a very experienced goalkeeper. Graeme McConnell has been okay but had a bad day on Saturday. Young Mills has loads of potential but he's only sixteen and needs time to mature" stated McDermott.

"I haven't been talking to Coulter. But Chisholm is optimistic that he might be interested and I hope we can sort something out. If he gives me the green light, I hope to speak to Coulter on Wednesday night" explained the manager, who has injury worries for Saturday.

"Larry McMahon has a groin problem, while Stephen McDowell looks as though he is going to have to go back to hospital to have a bone in his foot set again.

"We are meeting Ballyclare at a good time, coming on the back of two defeats. They might be suffering a bit confidence-wise. A win would be great for we are only six points adrift of the leaders.

"Newry on Saturday were sharp enough but, for a side reputed to have cost £60,000 so far to put together, they weren't that much better than us - apart from three goals that we gifted them.

"This league will not be easily won, I think it will chop and change a bit at the top. Newry are trying to emulate Coleraine and Ballymena by buying their way into the Premier Division but I'm not sure it will be that easy" he added.

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Heron and cash dispute - 30 Oct 97

JOHN Heron won't be joining Larne - unless the cash-strapped Inver Park management committee can quickly produce a thousand pounds of hard currency for immediate use by manager Kel McDermott. And a former Ballymena team-mate of Heron has left the Inver Park club.

The 32 year old Broughshane farmer, who started his career with Chimney Corner and spent ten years with Ballymena United before joining Distillery last year, has had that price tag placed on his head by Whites boss Paul Kirk.

"I think he'd be a valuable acquisition but the board hasn't so far been able to come up with the money Paul Kirk is asking for him, that being £1,000" explained the Larne manager.

"I didn't get as far as talking to the player, but I believe he's be interested in coming down to Larne. There's a bit of fundraising going on at the moment but even if they do come up with the money it may be too late.

"The word is out, a brief mention in a weekend paper - presumably released by Kirk specifically for the purpose - now alerting every other club in the country that he is available."

McDermott, who spotted that the vastly experienced centre-back was languishing in the Ballyskeagh reserve team and made the initial inquiry, admits he would like to sign him to bolster his defensive options. But he won't be unduly perturbed if the deal doesn't materialise.

"I'd like to have him on the books, but I'm not bursting a gut to get him. He would strengthen the defence and would certainly ensure that those wearing the jerseys right now would not get blase about their positions."

Meantime, another experienced former Ballymena player will not be playing in the Larne jersey again. Jason Gilmore, who joined the club at the start of the season, has gone - for personal reasons.

"Jason won't be back. He has fully explained his situation to me and I can appreciate the fact that football is understandably not his main priority right now" revealed McDermott.

McDermott's men enjoyed their first league win of the season on Saturday at home to his former Carrick Rangers team-mates. He welcomed the victory but wasn't impressed.

"We played a whole lot better against teams like Bangor and Crusaders and didn't win, so this is the other half of the swings and roundabouts situation - where we didn't play well and won.

"Carrick played route one football and that can make life difficult. But we did alright and got the goal we needed.

"Now we travel to Newry and will be hoping to do as well as we did in the Ulster Cup, getting a result there against a team desperate to do well. They have clearly improved, as evidenced by their win over Ballyclare Comrades last weekend, and will be tougher opponents than last time.

"But I am happy that we'll get something from the game" confided an optimistic McDermott.

News Index

Muldoon starts Carrick Rangers clear-out - 30 Oct 97

JOHN Muldoon has taken off the kid gloves. He's having a clear-out of players from Taylor's Avenue and it starts this evening - assuming there are new players ready to step into the boots of those being discarded!

"I told the players on Saturday after losing to Larne that they weren't just good enough and I would be commencing a clear-out as soon as possible" states an angry Carrick Rangers manager.

"I plan to have it completed as soon as possible - ideally in the next week. But it will have to be done on a properly organised basis. As one player comes in another will go out" he explained.

It sounds as though he's contemplating getting rid of the bulk of his team, I suggested.

"Well, I would be talking about five anyway - I need two forwards, a right-side player, a midfielder and a defender" revealed Muldoon.

"Saturday's performance was an abomination. God help anybody who had to pay in to watch it. Two dreadful teams, one as bad as the other, one shot and it went in the net. I told my players afterwards that many of them just aren't good enough and what I was planning to do.

"I have appointed Colin Taylor, a Carrickfergus man, as scout and he has already given me a short-list of players who are possible signings.

"One of them is attached to a Premier League club, another is a former Irish League player just back from England, some are with B Division clubs and others are in junior football elsewhere.

"My father took ill and went into hospital on Tuesday and I have been kept busy doing other things so Billy Clarke, who had been away for a few days, is trying to ensure we will have a couple of these target signings down at training on Thursday night."

Muldoon is anxious to have a player or two on board for Saturday's visit by Distillery.

"We are going to have battle all the way, play our socks off and make it as hard for them as we can. Some of the players who are not good enough will still be here so it's not going to be easy, but we will try to keep it tight and hit them on the break" the manager promised.

News Index

Lamb song hits Portugal - 20 Oct 97

News has just come in that the famous jingle of "Mary had a little lamb" jingle was heard at Northern Ireland's most recent international. The stadium of light (thus called as it saves on electric bills for floodlights) was alive with a deeving chorus and rendition. And YES there were genuine Larne supporters decked out in their team shirts at the ground. Similar reports also reached the editor during N.I.'s last far-east junket against Thailand in May. No arrests at either game were reported. Good luck Mary, good luck lamb........

Club Chairman Sam McCreedy was quick to deny that this song was Larne's official attempt to enter the Eurovision song contest.

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