Former Linfield striker believes Larne's European success should give Irish League confidence - but League of Ireland remains 'a step ahead'

Stewart’s old club enter Wednesday’s Champions League first qualifying round second leg against Shelbourne trailing 1-0 as they look to take a step closer to following in the Inver Reds’ footsteps by securing League Phase football.

Larne created a piece of Irish League history by becoming the maiden Premiership club to progress into the Conference League, battling their way past opposition from Kosovo and Gibraltar to seal their spot – and a financial windfall of around £3.5million in the process.

Another of Stewart’s former clubs, Shamrock Rovers, took that leap for the League of Ireland in 2011 while Dundalk also went on to represent the Premier Division in Europe.

The Republic of Ireland’s top-flight is currently a completely full-time league whereas only four of 12 Premiership teams ply their trade on a full-time basis, and Stewart feels the southern product is currently ahead.

"Of course it is,” said Stewart. “Anybody who says any different...Shamrock Rovers played Larne last year and they’ve been playing in Europe now for the last 12-14 years.

"They have experience and their manager is fantastic – an ex-player and friend of mine Stephen Bradley. He’s a fantastic person and everybody speaks so highly of him.

"The League of Ireland is a great product and is always producing players, able to attract players from England and further afield. It is at this moment in time further ahead.

"The result between Linfield and Shelbourne was very tight...Linfield are a very good team and others in the Irish League are very good too, but it’s just getting into Europe and being more consistent.

"At least three or four teams in the League of Ireland right now are a step ahead.

"There’s so many fantastic players in the Irish League, great teams, and what Larne did was a fantastic achievement which they richly deserved.

"That will give players that extra boost and confidence. I remember playing against Elfsborg with Linfield and we came close...if we were a full-time team or had more belief, we could have been playing in Europe back then.

"There’s a real belief now and the game has changed as well tactically.”

A debate which rages on centres around the potential introduction of summer football with the Northern Ireland Football League (NIFL) stating in their five-year strategy document, titled ‘A bold & brighter future for professional football’, that they’d look to ‘lead and implement a change to the professional game playing calendar’.

CEO Gerard Lawlor revealed last month NIFL have commissioned a deeper report to explore potential benefits of a calendar change for the Irish League after conducting an initial review.

Having played in both the Irish League and League of Ireland, alongside spending time in America as a player and also currently coaching in Sweden’s summer league, Stewart is able to speak with extensive experience, and he doesn’t feel time of year is a major factor in ultimately making it to the League Phase or not.

"It’s very difficult to say...we (Rovers) had our success while playing during the summer, but we also had top coaching with Michael O’Neill,” added Stewart. “We were very good and aligned with what we wanted to achieve as a group.

"I don’t know what the best solution is and I wouldn’t want to get into that debate because it doesn’t mean you can’t be successful in Europe if you’re playing in the winter – it’s irrelevant probably from that side.

"If you’re good enough then you can get there, but once you taste a little bit of full-time football, get more quality players and get that experience in Europe the way Larne did, that’s so valuable.

"That will help them this year and there’s that pathway. It was like this for Shamrock Rovers – once you get that experience you gain belief and you can find that bit of consistency.”