How an 'out of the blue' call has helped bring the joy back for Irish League star after contemplating retirement

Beverland, who won an Irish League title with Crusaders and made over 300 top-flight appearances having previously starred for Coleraine, was contemplating the idea of retirement after making just seven league outings for Ballyclare Comrades throughout the season to date, while a spell at Portadown the previous campaign ended with five Premiership starts in as many months.

However, those thoughts were quickly banished when Lee Feeney wanted Beverland to help bolster Bangor’s exciting project and the 34-year-old started 11 of their final 16 league games as the Seasiders narrowly missed out on promotion.

Beverland’s 18th season in Irish League football began with Friday’s 2-2 draw against H&W Welders and even at this stage of his career, he’s enjoying trying to adapt to new challenges as Feeney’s men look to fight for silverware once again.

"I've loved it,” he said. “I came in January when we were right in the thick of things and the club were in a great position having set a platform to challenge.

"It probably has been the most I've enjoyed it in a long time...at this stage of my career you're still adapting and it's been a new challenge playing on the right-hand side of a back-three and found myself covering more ground at the other end of the pitch as well.

"Off the back of the last couple of clubs in how it has ended, those things do leave you contemplating at this stage 'am I hungry enough for it to put up with silly games and lack of transparency?'.

"I've committed a lot to the Irish League and played in it for the last 18 years so I thought it might have been enough to leave it there, but Lee came in out of the blue and it was New Year's Day when he gave me a ring to say he'd be interested in signing me and it all happened from there.

"The first game was the Irish Cup - a competition which I've played in every year of my career so that was nice. That would have been the first year where I missed playing in it so that was good timing! I felt Lee valued the strengths I have."

Beverland racked up over 100 appearances while playing under Irish League legend Stephen Baxter and nearly 200 for Oran Kearney, so when he says Feeney “is right up there” in terms of the managers he has worked with, it’s worth taking very seriously just how talented the ex-Rangers attacker is.

"I really enjoyed being part of it and I've been around a lot of good managers over the years, but Lee is right up there in what he brings to the club and team,” he added. "He has a great balance between creating an enjoyable, fun environment where he trusts players and gives you your place and is keen to hear from ideas and what players think...he's also able to communicate to players in the right way – it's not like a school teacher but he gets information across in a way where players understand and carry it out for him.

"He's good fun as a person, carries a great playing career - even when he joins in on training you can see glimpses of the skill he still has - and he loves the game. He really loves it and is so enthusiastic.

"By way of balance, we talk of man-managers and great coaches on the pitch, he definitely ticks both those boxes when a lot of times it can be one or the other."