Former Linfield star backing "really good signing" Kyle Lafferty to shine

Casement had two spells with Linfield – between 2010-2012 and 2016-2020 – winning a combined five Irish League titles and four Irish Cup crowns either side of four seasons at Portadown.

The 35-year-old departed the Blues for Stowmarket Town and has now taken up a role as manager at the Isthmian League North Division outfit, picking up a point in his first match in charge on Tuesday night, alongside working full-time in the Ipswich Town academy.

He also earned one Northern Ireland cap against Italy in June 2009 after being an established member of youth squads right up to Under-21 level.

Casement is watching on with interest from England and believes Lafferty can help Linfield secure a fifth consecutive Danske Bank Premiership crown.

"I think it's a really good signing at an important time of the season - I really do,” he said. "I definitely back them to go on and win the league.

"I've been in the changing room and around the club - this sort of time of the season when they are there or thereabouts they usually go on and get over the line.

"It has been a fantastic title race. I watch all the games on TV and kept an eye on the young players for Ipswich so it's great to see a lot of them coming through. The league is in a really good place at the minute and it's great to see."

Casement has also been impressed with how much the Irish League has improved over the years with the likes of Larne and Linfield going full-time.

He feels the steps they are taking now will have great benefits and thinks “we’re only scratching the surface”.

"More teams are going full-time which will be great in five years,” he added. “It's just the start. I think we have a great product in Northern Ireland.

"We're only scratching the surface and there's so much more to go and hopefully with the right investment and people leading it they can go on to even better and stronger things."