IRISH LEAGUE: Ards boss Colin Nixon turned down Glentoran job as he wasn't their '˜top target'

The Glens move looked like a match made in heaven for the former Glentoran defender who played nearly 800 games for the east Belfast side.

But Nixon says that after serious consideration he decided to stick with Ards for the time being.

“It was massive decision for me because everyone knows my history with Glentoran.

“But I just felt throughout the whole process that I was not their top target and that is how I felt. And on the other side of the coin I had Ards who were very keen to keep me and I really appreciated that.

“We are working hard here bringing the youth through and I am really enjoying it so I decided to stay with the club.”

And now that all the transfer talk has disappeared Nixon knows his side will not find it easy against David McAlinden’s Carrick as his side try to catch eighth placed Dungannon Swifts in the league standings.

“Carrick are always set-up well and are a hard team to breakdown.

“So it will not be an easy task for us on Saturday but we have nothing to lose and we will go in and try and express ourselves.

“And some of the football we have been playing recently has been very good, so hopefully we can go there and get a win.

“Yes Dungannon are above us in the league and catching them is the target we have set ourselves and we still have nine points to play for. So we will see what happens - but it starts against Carrick on Saturday.”

And Carrick manager McAlinden is looking for his side to end the season as strongly as possible after a disappointing campaign to date.

Carrick face Ards, Ballinamallard, Glentoran and Warrenpoint in their last four games and McAlinden wants a battling finish to the season.

“We now have four huge games, and we need to give everything we have in those four games.

“If we don’t, we will be in serious trouble.

“We need to be targeting all 12 points from our next four games.

“We have to be a lot better and a lot more competitive. We have to answer the questions a lot better.

“Against Dungannon we didn’t work hard enough. It’s simple.

“Our fate may be in our own hands, but it won’t count for anything if we play like that again.”