United players must show better attitude - Beckett

The warning came from former Irish League great Liam Beckett, guest speaker at the club’s annual awards night in the Des Allen Suite on Saturday night.

While congratulating the players on their County Antrim Shield success exactly five months to the day, Beckett – a regular attender at United games both in his role as a media pundit and as a spectator – said he believed the players had under-achieved since that penalty shootout victory over Linfield.

“I have no doubt every one of you has the ability but in football you need the right attitude as well as ability – the four guys in charge of the team had both and they have the medals to prove it.

“They genuinely want to make Ballymena United a great club and people are working night and day to provide a platform to give you boys the opportunity to perform at the very highest level.

“They know you are good enough to play at this level – all they are asking for is a better attitude.

“You have got to step up to the mark and you have to do it collectively,” added Liam.

While it’s fair to say that Beckett’s comments did not meet with universal approval from the players, he found an ally in manager Glenn Ferguson, who reflected on a “turbulent” season which included the high of the Shield success and the low of the dreadful run of results which followed.

“If we can get the right attitude we will achieve bigger and better things next year.

“We have shown we have the nucleus of a squad which can compete with the top teams but we dropped 30 points against the lower-placed teams.

“All I ask is that the players come back next season and give us more,” added Glenn, who thanked the Board and his backroom staff for their support throughout the season.

Chairman Robert Cupples said: “We have had our ups and downs this season but we have a trophy sitting here, which is brilliant.

Earlier in the evening, former world boxing champion Eamonn Loughran had urged Ballymena’s players to strive to achieve the goals they set for themselves both in life and their football careers.

“Think how far you want to go, write down a list of targets and then go for it.

“You have already proved you can win things – it’s a matter of every individual player getting the goal of being the best they can possibly be,” added Eamonn.

ROLL OF HONOUR

The full list of prizewiners at the club awards night was:

Under-16 Player of the Year – Paul Rodgers.

Under-17 Player of the Year – Jason Johnston.

Players’ Player of the Year (sponsored by Stephen Alexander) – Dwayne Nelson.

Paradise Supporters’ Club Player of the Year – David Cushley.

Top of the Town Supporters’ Club Player of the Year – David Cushley; Young Player of the Year – Michael Ruddy.

Junior Sky Blues Player of the Year – David Cushley.

Leading Goalscorer award (sponsored by Lindsay Gordon and Karen Torrington) – David Cushley.

Youth Team Player of the Year (sponsored by Seven Towers SC) – Jake Carson.

Reserve team Player of the Year (sponsored by David McCaig and Jonny Irwin) – Peter Duffin.

Seven Towers SC Player of the Year (sponsored by the Wright family) – Dwayne Nelson.

Noel Brown Memorial Shield (sponsored by David Brwon) – Dwayne Nelson.

Goal of the Season award (sponsored by Philip Simpson) – David Cushley (v Portadown).

Youth team Leading Goalscorer award (sponsored by Clifford Adams) – Jordan Foster.

Reserve team Leading Goalscorer award (sponsored by Clifford Adams) – Peter Duffin.