'I’ll always be grateful to you for providing me with a home from home' - Tiernan Lynch pens open letter to Larne fans after departing for Derry City

During seven-and-a-half years at Inver Park, Lynch led the County Antrim outfit to four Co Antrim Shields, two Premiership titles and most recently created history by becoming the first Irish League side to qualify for the UEFA Conference League.

His tenure came to an end this week when Lynch, alongside brother Seamus, joined League of Ireland side Derry City with the pair officially unveiled at a press conference on Wednesday.

"Goodbyes are certainly never easy but I feel I owe it to you all to put some of my thoughts down on paper and to thank many of the people who’ve made the last seven years such an adventure for me, my brother and our families at Larne Football Club,” wrote Lynch.

“We’ve achieved so much in that time but the secret to that success has been our togetherness whether that’s celebrating triumphs or standing shoulder to shoulder as the wind and rain tumbled into Inver Park, your support made the difference on so many occasions.

“It’s perhaps human nature to reflect and only think about the good times but when you consider where we were when we started the journey and the position Larne FC finds itself in now, there’s plenty to be proud of and one man who’s central to it all, Kenny Bruce.

"At least I have the opportunity to thank him now for the faith he placed back in me when he came to the club and after so many twists and turns, I’m proud to call him my friend.

"Bringing titles and trophies back to this special corner of East Antrim has been a measure of his vision and strategy but what he’s done for the town and how people feel about the place where they live and work is inspirational.

“There are so many people I’m grateful to for the opportunities I’ve been afforded as manager of your football club, I’d like to thank the members of the Board, the Chairman and, in particular, Niall Curneen who, again, is one of the true driving forces behind the scenes.

"But there are so many who give of their time freely and whose efforts are certainly appreciated, I promise you, without the volunteers we wouldn’t have had the foundations to build what’s been built.

“I also want to pay tribute to the players and staff who’ve worked so hard to make our plans and dreams a reality.

"The boys are a wonderful bunch, who I’ll miss, they really do give everything when they pull on the red shirt and it’s been tremendous watching them go from Championship winners to back-to-back Champions and then make history with group stage football in Europe.

“But now it’s time for a new adventure, back in 2017 I was ready for a challenge and didn’t know where it would take me, I’m not sure I would have ever believed what lay ahead of us back then.

"I find myself at a similar stage now, wanting to test myself in a new environment with a club that has exciting ambitions.

“Having said that, I will never forget those special moments, Jeff’s penalty in the County Antrim Shield Final, Ronan’s hat-trick at the Oval, Mark’s cracker at Windsor Park or hearing the small band of fans in the corner of a car-park in Oswestry as we made our bow in European competition.

"There are so many memories besides and countless more private moments that remind me of how special this football club truly is.

“So we go our separate ways but I’ll always be grateful to you for providing me with a home from home in Larne and a chance to be part of a process that’s helped put this town back on the map.

"Plenty to ponder, but I’m confident there’ll be plenty more adventures to enjoy so back the boys, stick together and see where it takes you.”