Nathan Rooney has been confirmed as the new manager of Irish Premiership champions Larne.
The Blackburn native, 35, was most recently in charge of Gibraltarian team Bruno’s Magpies.
Rooney was identified as Larne’s number one target following the departure of Tiernan Lynch to become Derry City boss last week.
Larne have said Rooney will officially start his role on Friday with Gary Haveron leading the interim management team in Thursday’s Uefa Conference League game away to Olimpija Ljubljana on Thursday.
Rooney’s first game in charge will be Sunday’s league fixture at home to Cliftonville. Larne have also said Haveron will serve as Rooney’s assistant.
“I’m delighted to join such a hardworking football club with such great history,” said Rooney, who has worked at Crawley Town and Carlisle United.
“This has been achieved with a collective effort and an inclusive working environment which I am looking forward to becoming a part of.”
‘We believe he is a brilliant leader’
Larne majority shareholder Kenny Bruce said: “We are delighted to have secured our number one target, with the arrival of Nathan Rooney.
“As a senior management team, we feel Nathan possesses all of the attributes we were looking for in the person who will take us forward. He is a manager who has shown that he has a clear style of play, his enthusiasm is infectious and we believe he is a brilliant leader.”
Rooney has helped improve the fortunes of Magpies, including securing qualification for European club competition.
Rooney’s side knocked Derry City out in the first qualifying round of the Uefa Conference League in July, 3-2 the aggregate score, before losing 8-1 over two legs to FC Copenhagen in the next round.
Two years earlier, Magpies went down 4-3 on aggregate to Crusaders in the Uefa Conference League first qualifying round.
Lynch’s tenure at Larne saw the Invermen clinch the first Irish League titles in their history in the form of back-to-back Premiership crowns.
He also led the east Antrim club into the league stages of a major European competition, breaking new ground for an Irish League side.
Larne are currently ninth in the Premiership table with 21 points from 13 games.
Rooney added: “The squad of players excite me a lot and I am eager to get to work on the training ground with all the experts within the backroom team and I am hoping that all the energy that we create allows us to implement, continue and enhance all the teams’ performances which wear the Larne badge.
“After seeing recent games and observing from afar you can see how hard the club works within the local community to provide a better experience for the fans and this relationship between club and fans is something which can continue to grow.”
