We’ll give it our best shot in every game: McAlinden

Davy McAlinden wants to bring Larne back to the Premiership but he’s not making any promises about when that might be. And, as for the chances of it happening by the end of the new season, he is non-committal.
Larne boss Davy McAlinden.Larne boss Davy McAlinden.
Larne boss Davy McAlinden.

“I will let everybody else have their say as what to might happen this season, whether it is what their own clubs might achieve or what Larne are going to do,” the Inver manager said. “I am not into making predictions or speculating where we might be come the end of April.

“What I will state, however, is that there is no point in this club spending all the money and time it takes to get the required licence unless they want to qualify to play in the top grade of football.

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“We have got to wait and see when we can achieve that goal, whether it’s sooner than expected or in the long term.

“As regards this season, we have brought in a lot of new players and I am very happy with the squad we have and I believe that it will prove to be very good.

“But I think you will find that most pundits will say the teams they would expect to be battling for the promotion places will generally be the likes of Ards, Bangor and Carrick Rangers.

“Ards have held on to nearly all their players from the Premier league last season and have brought in a few more, while Bangor were runners-up in the league and have strengthened their panel as well, and Carrick have also boosted their already considerable options with some new signings.

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“They are the main clubs with resources and they have been joined in that respect by a few others, notably Loughgall who have added a number of quality players and newly-promoted Armagh City who beat Ards in the cup last season and obviously have a winning mentality.

“You could even add Donegal Celtic to that group because they have quietly been putting together a pretty useful squad, with Nicky Maye taking over from Paul McAreavey. They have added Anto McGonnell and Darren Stewart from Cliftonville and Kevin Bradley, who played with Glentoran for a time.

“Last year showed that any team in this league can beat any other team and that will be even more so the case this season. There are no such things as three soft points in Championship 1 and every single club will earn anything they get from any given fixture. It should be a terrific league and we are looking forward it it.

“We will just go out and give our best shot in every game and I think we will win more than we lose, but we will wait and see where that all takes us.”