Stephen Baxter highlights 'different gravy' Carrick Rangers star after Senior Shield impact
Having experienced every scenario and felt every emotion during a legendary career in Irish League management, a sense of calm came over Stephen Baxter as he prepared to watch his Carrick Rangers players step up in Tuesday’s Senior Shield final penalty shootout.
It wasn’t just the fact Baxter had been here before, standing on the Seaview touchline with a big prize up for grabs, but he also drew confidence from a pre-final training session where each of his squad struck two spot-kicks in preparation for this very situation.
He knew his men would deliver – and so they did as Jimmy Callacher, Luke McCullough, Danny Gibson and Aidan Steele produced a perfect set to end Carrick’s 33-year wait for major silverware success.
Baxter has now won this competition four times, adding to three Premiership titles, four Irish Cup crowns and a League Cup collected during his time at Crusaders.
While winning is a familiar feeling for Baxter, that isn’t the case for Carrick Rangers with Tuesday’s triumph marking only their third-ever senior trophy and first since 1993.
Baxter is well aware of the significance of the moment and dedicated their victory to the club’s faithful supporters with a number of fans jetting in from America to experience an unforgettable occasion.
"To get a win and a trophy for them is just amazing, and just to see the smiles on their faces...that (winning trophies) doesn't happen often for them,” he said. "It has been a marvellous delight for me just to clap those folks and say, ‘well done to you, thank you for coming and supporting the team’.
“I thought the team were magnificent in the second half. They got the biggest roasting ever from me, the biggest since I've come here, at half-time for not doing what we told them to do in the first half.
"We turned that game around and we bombarded Cliftonville. Paul Heatley has two or three big chances, but Adam Lecky was just different gravy.
"Those are things that will help us, I'm sure, in the second half of the season. It's always good to get a little bit of a lift. It's very pleasing.
"When you win any big game...the fans were here in big numbers, for a big, big game, big night under the lights at Seaview. To come out the right side of it, it's always great."
Carrick continue to battle to preserve their top-flight status, currently sitting 11th in the Premiership, but with no points up for grabs on Tuesday, it offered Baxter and his side a freedom to express.
Baxter was able to enjoy every moment throughout the process – even the penalty shootout – and admits the triumph is special for the club.
"I've done this a million times. Why would I be nervous?" he added. “I totally enjoyed it.
"I watched every penalty, and it's not like me. It was so much fun, and preparing for this game was fun.
"The league is your bread and butter, and you've got to concentrate on your league performances.
"This game was always fun and I said that it's either going to be a win or a loss because in a cup final that's what it is for every team.
"It was fun for me. We weren't going to Europe on the back of this performance and we weren't getting any points. So it was fun. It meant a lot to the club.”