Let’s get our campaign up and running!

Paul Millar is waiting another week, until after the opening game against Banbridge Town, before stating what his precise target for Larne is this season. But he’s exceedingly excited and impressively optimistic about what’s in store for his Larne team – and, remarkably perhaps, he’s pinpointed the reason as being the genial Sammy Workman.

Workman is the manager of Larne Olympic and, such is the tremendous job that he’s doing thus far, Millar insists his magnificent work is set to be the key to a successful campaign not just for the second string, but for the first team as well.

“Local man Sammy, who was previously with Linfield, is brilliant. He is doing a really great job and is also terrific at bringing in players. He knows his football inside out and has an engaging personality, being equally good at dealing with youth players and the more experienced guys.

“I have had problems in previous years because we had 17 or 18 players and could only use up to 16 on match days.

“And that caused serious problems because players didn’t have the chance to get fit for action when they had been out through injury or suspension, sometimes having to be thrown into crucial situations when they had maybe only 20 minutes of football in about six weeks.

“But, with Larne Olympic now back and functioning properly, we will have a constant stream of players available, with a lot more to choose from – which will make for much more competition throughout both the squads.

“I couldn’t be more impressed with the work that Sammy is doing and I can honestly say that Larne have not been anywhere near as well fixed player-wise in my time with the club. It’s easily the best squad I’ve had and I can’t wait for the season to start,” assured Millar.

Read the full story in this week’s Larne Times