Ballymena appoint former captain Ervin as manager

Ervin has been a regular for Carrick Rangers for the last two seasons

Ballymena United have appointed former captain Jim Ervin as their new manager on a three-year deal.

Ervin spent seven years as a Ballymena player, winning the League Cup and County Antrim Shield, before leaving for Carrick Rangers in June 2021.

He was a regular in the Carrick defence, making 74 appearances.

• Ballymena exit wasn't knee-jerk - Jeffrey

Former Linfield manager Warren Feeney and ex-Northern Ireland women's boss Kenny Shiels are believed to have been among a number of managers in the frame for the managerial vacancy.

Jeffrey stepped down after seven years as boss at Warden Street a few days after Ballymena suffered a 4-0 defeat by Crusaders in the Irish Cup final on 7 May.

It was the third Irish Cup final defeat in four years for the Sky Blues, with Ervin captaining the side that lost in the 2020 decider to Glentoran.

New boss Ervin joined Ballymena as a player in 2014 after a hugely successful decade at Linfield, where he won the Irish Premiership and Irish Cup on a number of occasions.

Ervin made 277 appearances in eight seasons at Ballymena before joining Carrick in 2021 after being released by the Sky Blues.

Ballymena finished the 2022-23 season in ninth place in the Irish Premiership table.