Gault is back in the game with Kilroot Rec

Stephen McAteer - who, like Gault, has connections with Islandmagee FC - has been appointed as Head Coach of the Division 1C outfit.

In the early 1980s Trevor cut his managerial teeth as player-boss of Grange Rangers, before going on to win a league title with Barn United seconds. He was assistant to his brother-in-law Billy Patterson at STC, bringing the Border and Clarence Cups to the Factory Grounds. They also were in charge of the Northern Amateur League Representative side.

Trevor returned to Barn, where one of the undoubted highlights of his spell in charge was a narrow 2-1 Bass Irish Cup defeat by Glentoran at the Oval. From there it was on to Islandmagee, firstly as assistant to Stewarty McCleave, and then as manager, leading the Islanders back into the Premier Division, as well as Border Regiment Cup finals in the 1990s, where they lost to 1st Shankill NISC and then on penalties to an Aaron Hughes-inspired Coagh United.

A move to FC Enkalon in Antrim followed. His last stint at management was in a caretaker role at Islandmagee, where alongside Tommy Wallace and Jason Tweedie, he helped keep the Wilbourne Park side avoid relegation.

After giving up his managerial role, he spent most Saturdays on the other side of the fence, watching Islandmagee. But why then the sudden return to management after all this time?

““I’m good friends with Terry Thomas, who’s on the committee at Kilroot,” he said. “Paul Hannan had just left them, and Terry just happened to casually mention if I would be interested in getting back into management. Stephen McAteer had also said to me that he’d come in along with me, if anything cropped up. He had taken a year out at Islandmagee, and was chomping at the bit to get back into it again. They say ‘every dog has its day’, and I never thought I would return – but somehow the timing was right, and it all just seemed to fall into place!”

McAteer was Steven Donald’s number two when Islandmagee completed the Division 1A and Clarence Cup double in 2008. He was also their ‘right-hand man’ as they finished fourth, third and then second in the Premier Division, but took a year out last season.

Trevor added: “I know Stephen well from my time down watching Islandmagee. I know what he can do and he’ll be an asset to the club. He’ll have his contacts as well, for I’ve been so long out of the game, I’m not the ‘Pied Piper’ I used to be, in attracting players from the likes of Barn to Islandmagee and vice-versa.

“Stephen is big and strong in the training ground. I can’t run round training pitches the way I used to, but I will certainly participate and I still believe that getting the team fit is the key. You’re maybe five minutes into the game on Saturday, you can spot the danger man in the team you’re playing – and you keep a close eye on him! I don’t think it’s too technical a game at this level. Fitness, I believe is a massive thing in Amateur League football.

“From what I can see, Kilroot have been getting good numbers at training and the spirit in the camp is good. Maybe at times they’ve been just a little too enthusiastic and I know they had bother last season with a high number of sending-offs. That’s something I’ll be trying to improve as you have a better chance of winning if you have the same number of players as the opposition!

“I really appreciate the work Paul Hannan has done at the club. It was his first taste of management, and taking them to second in 2A, and then fifth and seventh in Division 1C was an excellent achievement.

“And I have the utmost respect for Kilroot the club – a club where players pay dues to play. They’ve a small, enthusiastic committee and the work they do is unbelievable and it’s really impressive how they’ve kept the club going year in year out, with the bigger guns all around them. Don’t forget either that a lot of the ‘big names’ all started out at Kilroot – like the Waide and Mathers brothers and Nicky Sharples.

“Kilroot seem to somehow attract an influx of players. Most of last year’s squad I’d know to see, but I do remember young Aaron Anderson, a fine talent, from his days at Islandmagee. I’ve heard talk that Dean Haggan could be going to Barn, but I hope he stays at the club. You always feel that bit more content if you have someone half-decent between the sticks – and Dean’s a good goalkeeper, as well being likely to score at least one goal a season. His father Davy used to play for me before, and he was a cracker too.

“I’m not going to Kilroot as the messiah. They told me to go down and enjoy myself. Everyone wants to get results, but it’s a transition period this season; we’re at Islandmagee until October and then we’re moving to Whitehead. I’ll be under no real pressure at Kilroot. Maybe I took things just a little too seriously when I was involved before – but this time I’m going to enjoy myself and I hope all the players who were there before stay on board and will all enjoy themselves too next season. I hope to see them all back for the start of pre-season training, at Beltoy on Saturday, July 7 at 2pm.

“Hopefully with my experience over the years, I can bring a few lads on and help make them better players. It’s a new challenge for me, I’m really looking forward to it – I’ll give it my best shot and I just can’t wait to get started!”

Kilroot Rec supremo Mervyn Smith said “We as a club are delighted with the appointment. I’ve known Trevor for quite some time. He has always been well respected over the years, and we just told him to enjoy himself!”

Players can also keep in touch with the club’s new Facebook site, ‘Official Kilroot Rec FC’.