Stephen Baxter, a fixture in Irish League football for over four decades, has offered a warm welcome to newly-appointed Glentoran boss Duncan Ferguson - declaring the veteran is both “delighted” and “interested” in what the Scotland hero can bring to Northern Ireland.

Ferguson and Baxter will both be on duty this weekend – the former marking his first official minutes of Irish League football when the Glens kick off against Ballymena United, the latter now well past the 1,000-game mark in management ahead of facing Limavady United.

Ferguson was confirmed on Monday as Glentoran manager as the Belfast giants attempt, for the 11th time since Alan McDonald guided the club to Irish League title glory in 2009, to back a boss capable of bringing back the Gibson Cup.

The 54-year-old Ferguson will point to past Premier League experience working under world-class managers at Everton such as Carlo Ancelotti and Rafa Benitez – before spells in solo charge at Forest Green Rovers then Inverness Caledonian Thistle which had focus more on fighting fires than sparking success.

placeholder image — Duncan Ferguson confirmed this week as Glentoran manager. (Photo by Stephen Davison/Pacemaker Press)

Ferguson has embraced the demands as Glentoran manager of competing for major silverware by highlighting “this is a big club with a tremendous history and it is a great opportunity for me...I understand the responsibility that comes with the job” plus aware “I know that success here will be judged on what we win”.

Baxter - when asked last weekend about Ferguson’s pending appointment, with the ex-Rangers striker established as a cult figure for his playing career at clubs including Everton and Newcastle United – said: “I will be thrilled that our league can attract a manager of that quality and calibre.

“A legend of England's Premier League coming to the Irish league, I think speaks volumes for us...who we are, where that league is right now.

"We have internationals of our own (including former Northern Ireland players David Healy, Jim Magilton and Michael O’Connor), of such high standing, who are now managing in our league and doing a magnificent job who have brought a different flavour to it. ”And I think it's superb to see those type of guys and what they've achieved in their careers...they feel that this is their home and they're putting so much in.

"So I'm delighted that Duncan thinks that our league is worthy of coming to.”

And Baxter, who has a medal collection boasting 25 senior honours as player and manager, is relishing the arrival of Ferguson’s fresh perspective – plus the professional challenge of facing an unknown foe.

"Ultimately, you prepare your team to play the opposition you're going to play,” said Baxter. “How you're watching the team play, the manager part of it doesn't often become a big deal really (but) it does (excite me).

"You're obviously interested to see what a manager will bring to a team...when a manager comes in they will make the changes necessary to improve, that's what the fans want, the club want.

"I'll be interested to see what stamp he puts on it.”