'Couldn't have gone any better' - Records fall as Irish League boss values perfect preparation heading into European play-offs
After over 1,000 games and 20 years in management, Stephen Baxter still holds true to core values.
Goals by Adam Lecky, Jimmy Callacher and Danny Gibson on Saturday against relegated Glenavon left Carrick Rangers putting a perfect finish to a record-breaking Premiership campaign with a 3-2 win – and putting in place fitting preparations for the future European play-offs.
Baxter was celebrating a number of club records from a season which also featured silverware success in the Senior Shield – and the promise of a summer adventure in Europe if successful across the forthcoming Irish League play-offs path.
On a day with little at stake, Baxter made one big decision that offered insight into his outlook.
“The drive in me is always to try and take something into the play-off with a positivity,” said Baxter, who watched Glenavon score off a Paddy Burns penalty and debut goal for 16-year-old Alfie Pollock. "We broke the record last season, I think it was 48 and now we got the 53.
"There's other records that have gone today with goals against and goals for and all sorts of stuff. "It's been great for us from Christmas...a team that's working hard for each other.
"Brilliant dressing room and a lot of experience in there, so thrilled with everybody...I said to them before the game I could have put the whole 20s (under 20s) out today and it doesn't really matter what happens.
"But it's not my way.
"If I had played the 20s, I feel like we would have lost all the momentum of what we've been doing over the last four or five weeks.
"I just felt it was the right thing to do...at this moment in time, I feel the squad is big enough to absorb it, we have a big enough panel.
"And it worked in the manner we wanted it to.
"We'll go in there (European play-offs) with everything we have to try and do well and we'll not let anybody down.
"Probably couldn't have gone any better in regards to no injuries and being able to play everybody for the length of time that I wanted to play different people.
"Played Jimmy (Callacher) and BJ (Blly Joe Burns) for half each and was able to get Paul (Heatley) off in an hour, which was what we said we would do...'Lecks' (Adam Lecky) off on 75 minutes, he was meant to go an hour but he wanted a few more minutes.”