Reds boss hoping to line up a Premier pre-season programme

Manager Gordon Chambers is confident that at least one senior club - and possibly three - will be coming to Ballyclare as part of the pre-season programme.

Gordon confirmed that he has received positive responses from several Premier League clubs, but no dates will be confirmed until the draws for the various European competitions have been announced.

Meanwhile the manager, coaches and players spent an enjoyable end of season weekend on the north coast, and already they are looking forward to the start of pre-season training scheduled to start towards the end of June.

Vice captain, Andy Long, was the only player to take part in all thirty-nine matches in the season just ended, but he was closely followed by Mark McConnell and Andy Simms each with thirty-seven, while Allen Huxley and David Officer each clocked up thirty-five.

Huxley requires only twenty-one more attendances to take his total tally with Comrades to two hundred, but he should be beaten to the double century by Stuart Galbraith who is sitting on 189.

Simon McGowan has played eighty-five times for Ballyclare and should reach the three figures with ease, as should Long who is on seventy-six.

The club's annual awards night will be held in the Comrades Social Club on Saturday evening, starting at seven o'clock, and officials hope that there will be a good turnout of season ticket holders to pay tribute to the players and staff.