Lee answers Coll of hometown club

The 23-year-old left-back was released by Premiership outfit Coleraine this week and on Tuesday evening was expected to finalise a deal which will see him stay at Taylor’s Avenue until the end of the season.

The former Ballymena United man had been a starter for Oran Kearney’s Bannsiders at the beginning of the campaign, before an injury sidelined him for 10 weeks.

“During the time I was out, the boy who slotted in to my place (Ryan McIlmoyle) was flying,” he said. “Whenever I came back I got two or three games but Oran put him in because he was playing that well which, I suppose, is fair enough; that’s football.

“When I spoke to Oran about it, he said that for the foreseeable future, because he was playing so well, that until his form changed he is still going to be there. That could have been a week, or maybe two or three months. It was too much travelling for me to be going the whole way up there not to be playing and I just want to play football.

“I think Michael (Hughes) heard a few rumours that I wasn’t happy and Oran gave me permission to talk to a few clubs and he got in contact with me and I liked what he had to say.

“There are a lot of games left and I just want to get back playing football, so it’s a good opportunity for me.”

With over 100 Irish League appearances under his belt, Colligan is expected to add more steel to the Rangers rearguard and, along with the club’s other recent recruits, he’s hoping he can help the team out of its slump in form.

“There have been a few good signings already: (Sean) Friars is there and (Anto) Lagan has gone back. Carrick were flying at the start of the season. So, maybe, if we get a couple of wins we can go on and get a real good run of games together.”

Colligan said he’s not focusing beyond his short-term deal with Carrick.

“I’m here until the end of the season,” he said. “I don’t know what will happen after that. We will just have wait and see. I’m not looking too far ahead. I haven’t played since December 1 and I want to get kicking a ball again.

“Hopefully, I can go down and help the club out. I’m looking forward to it. Michael has been there and done it, so he is going to do things right and wants to push them in the right direction. Hopefully, I can help out.”

Report by John Gillespie | Twitter: @Times_Sport