NEW Ards Rangers manager Lee Cathcart is relishing the prospect of being at the helm of his boyhood team this season.
Appointed by the Drome Park club at the end of April, the Newtownards native has wasted no time in putting his stamp onto the Rangers side which slumped to a disappointing 12th-placed league finish last term with as many as 11 recruits through the door already. A number have played under Cathcart at his previous clubs, with Luke Adair, Stephen Cockcroft, Aaron Dunlop, Ryan Newberry and Marc Orbinson among those to be reunited with their former gaffer.
The former Greenwell Star and Shorts chief has carved out a reputation as somewhat of a promotion specialist in Amateur League circles, most notably steering Rosemount Rec from Division 1C all the way to the Premier Division.
Last season, Cathcart’s Dundonald side lost just twice on route to the 1C title.
Now, the Ardsman is tasked with trying to fire the 2014/15 Premier Division champions back towards the top end of the table. It’s a challenge he is looking forward to.
“I started at Ards Rangers as a kid and remember going to watch them at that age,” he explained.
“It’s my hometown team and I just saw it as the perfect project.
“I think we have signed well,” Cathcart added. “Injuries had a big impact on the team in the second half of last season but we have kept hold of a good number of the squad and added plenty of quality as well.”
Rangers have seen prolific striker James Sofley depart for neighbours Comber Rec, but Cathcart has a whole host of forward options at his disposal this year with Dean Annett, Alex McIlmail and Luke Fisher all making the move to the Portaferry Road club in recent weeks.
“James would be a big miss to any team but I think with those guys we have enough firepower here,” he said.
Also wearing sky blue next season will be former Ards striker Jay Dalzell, who has already hit the ground running for Rangers in pre-season.
Looking ahead to the new campaign, Cathcart believes the league is shaping up to be ‘one of the toughest yet’. He also offered his thoughts on proposals for a new conference structure underneath the NIFL Championship, set to be introduced for the start of the 2026/27 season.
“Comber are the champions, so they’re the team to beat. I think it’s going to be a really strong division this year.
“[The new structure] is definitely something that I would be pushing for us to be involved in. There’s lots going on behind the scenes at the club at the minute with ground plans and so on and I think you always want to play at the highest level you can.”
