Ferguson aims to tie down top performers

Unlike last season, Ferguson has a clutch of his Ballymena United squad coming out of contract in the summer.

Gary Thompson’s new two-year deal, announced at the weekend, follows a similar extension for Johnny Taylor recently and the Sky Blues boss is keen to tie up more before other clubs can legally approach players in the final six months of their contracts.

“We want the ones here who we know have the same desire and thinking about the game as we have and at the minute we have a good lot of them signed up.

“There are still more to come but I don’t want to get to January where letters are coming in from other clubs wanting to speak to our players.

“There are some who, if letters come in, can go and speak to those clubs if they want but the ones we feel are really important for us to drive on are getting fixed up.”

Ferguson is hopeful that his side can continue its recent revival when United travel to Danske Bank Premiership basement side Warrenpoint Town this Saturday (3pm).

“We thought if we beat Ards last weekend we would have had a good opportunity to go above Dungannon but them beating Linfield shows again how tough this league is.

“We had Ards, Warrenpoint and Ballinamallard earlier in the season and lost all three so we want to improve on that,” added Ferguson.

* Seven Towers Supporters’ Club transport to Saturday’s game against Warrenpoint at Stangmore Park leaves Henry Street car park at 1.30pm.

* United have been drawn away to Crusaders in the semi-final of the League Cup, with the tie to be played at Seaview on December 17.