Coleraine manager Ruaidhri Higgins has called on his squad to embrace expectation as they look to celebrate the club’s centenary in style by winning a first Gibson Cup since 1974.

Having further added to a star-studded squad with the summer arrivals of Northern Ireland international Conor McMenamin, Jay Henderson, Ben Doherty, Aidan Wilson, Conrad Hunt and Rob Slevin, Coleraine enter the 2026/27 Premiership campaign as title favourites with bookmakers.

The Bannsiders competed for glory until the final day of Higgins’ first full season in charge last term – they defeated Glentoran 6-2 but Larne’s emphatic 8-0 win over Dungannon Swifts sealed a third Inver Reds triumph across the past four years.

It hasn’t all been plain sailing for Higgins this summer with Charles Dunne leaving the club at the end of last season before captain Mark Coyle suffered a ruptured ACL and goalkeeper Ryan Schofield was forced to undergo surgery on a facial injury.

placeholder image — Coleraine manager Ruaidhri Higgins will have his sights set on Gibson Cup glory this season. (Photo by Desmond Loughery/Pacemaker Press)

However, with Joel Cooper and Matthew Shevlin – a ruthless duo who combined for 41 league goals and both netted in their Irish Cup final win over Dungannon Swifts last season – joined by McMenamin, expectation levels inevitably increase.

Even if he views Coleraine’s favourites tag as “disrespectful” to reigning champions Larne, Higgins knows what’s expected of his side this term – and now wants to deliver.

"When you finish second, win the Irish Cup and sign the quality of players that we have over the last two years, there's going to be expectation,” said Higgins ahead of Saturday’s opening trip to Dungannon. “We have to embrace that.

"It's interesting that we're favourites, slightly disrespectful to the reigning champions in my opinion, but it is what it is.

"We haven't won a league title in over 50 years. You can have all the ability in the world but you have to go and do it, talk's cheap, you have to go and deliver and we have to go and do it.

"We had a sticky period around the turn of the year, around Christmas and New Year period, which cost us from potentially winning it (last term).

"As the season progressed, as it got deep into the business end, we were really, really happy with the direction the team's going in and hopefully we can continue that progress.”

Higgins, a former Coleraine player, enjoyed a superb maiden season in Irish League management, sealing the club’s European return for the first time in five years by winning the Irish Cup – they were beaten 8-0 on aggregate by HJK Helsinki in Conference League qualifying.

With a campaign now under his belt, Higgins has had time to assess where strides can be made with the ultimate goal of ending a 53-year wait.

"I knew the Irish League but I had never managed in it before so you learn as you go,” he added. “You learn on the job and there's loads that we can take from last year and improve on as well.

"I love it (at Coleraine), it's a brilliant football club, really good people that I work for, great group of players, and we're all excited about the season ahead."