Haveron goes back to where it all began for him as Gers boss

It’s almost a year since he took charge of his very first match as Rangers gaffer at Dundela after former Northern Ireland international Michael Hughes called it quits as manager.

Haveron set the tone in his opening game against Dundela when he strolled towards the pitch, suited and booted with all the sartorial elegance of Pep Guardiola. Having captained the side he now had managerial responsibility for, the former Bolton Wanderers defender was tasked with making the tough decisions for the good of the first team as a whole. Players would be left disappointed, others happy to be given a chance. His decision to select shirt and tie ahead of a tracksuit showed he meant business.

The game itself ended in a 1-1 draw and was the starting point for a tilt at promotion to the top tier. With Taylor’s Avenue unavailable for most of the 2013-14 campaign, he coped admirably as his troops spent a lot of time on the road. In the end, all their journeying caught up with them - ironically when they returned to to their home ground - with the crucial Easter week defeat to Institute who went on clinch their place in the Danske Bank Premiership.

It had been a long, hard season and ambitious Haveron had come so close to producing the goods.

When Saturday comes he is most likely to be so focused on bagging another three points that he won’t have time to reflect on what has been a whirlwind year in the hot-seat.

Thus far, a defeat to the Welders has been the only blot on the copy book since the new campaign kicked off, and his improved squad - spearheaded by the pace and goalscoring experience of Miguel Chines - is already progressing nicely.

And the importance of having home games at Taylor’s Avenue can’t be overestimated either. It may just prove pivotal as the Amber Army dream of a return to the big time - a prospect Haveron would relish.

n Carrick kept their Steel Cup hopes alive with a 6-0 win at Orangefield OB on Saturday. The goals came from Ben Roy, Correy Davidson, Jody Lynch, Nathan McConnell (two) and central defender Ciaran Donaghy.