'Stute to sort out committee then manager

WHILE speculation mounts over the identity of a potential new Institute manager, newly elected Vice Chairman Andrew Russell has said that the situation is still vacant and will not be filled until a new committee has been sworn in. “I can’t tell you anything at the minute” Russell told the Derry News. “I know people have speculated but the first thing we have to do is get the committee sorted out first, get people in place, and then finding out what is next as regards the manager.” Following Tuesday’s Annual General Meeting of Institute FC, Bill Anderson and Andrew Russell were appointed new Chairman and Vice Chairman respectively. Both men are certainly no strangers to the club as the new Vice Chair explained: “Well I’ve played with the club since I was 13 or 14 and I’ve been in the committee now about six or seven years. I’ve been round the club all my life, to be honest. Once Bill Anderson was nominated I had no problem stepping up, he’s a good man. He’s done the Chairman of the youths now for two or three years at the club. He always does his best so I’ll give him every support I can.” It’s been a difficult season at the Riverside, with Institute getting relegated from the Premiership and then losing manager Paul Kee after four years in charge. And while many at the club hope to bounce straight back up, Russell was keen to make sure that ‘Stute are ready for the the Premiership again. “We have to be in a position to compete both on the field and off it. It’s not just abut playing in the Premiership, we have to get there on merit on and off the field.” As regards playing personnel, the vultures have been circling the Riverside Stadium in recent weeks. Robbie Hume and star man Michael McCrudden have already joined Ballinamallard United. Russell agreed that it is vital that ‘Stute try to retain their best players. “It’s very important to try and hold on to the players. At the end of the day that’s the life blood of the club. We aren’t a rich club by any means so it’s a matter of just trying to hold onto the good young players we already have at the minute.” And while the manager and playing staff is at the top of the new Vice Chair’s priorities, he also was anxious to point out the importance of the supporters to the club. “This year we’ve set up a Supporters Liason Officer and that’s going to be a link now between the committee and the supporters. We’ve never really had that in the past. It will give the club a link with the supporters groups that are already in existence. It’s hard to attract new fans. I don’t know why that is. Maybe Derry City have had a longer history of playing at a higher level than we have. And as well as that you are always competing against the English Premiership to be honest. You are always competing against live football. And there’s that much local football. A lot of people in this city are tied into their own wee clubs and that’s who they go to watch on a Saturday at 3 o’clock. “Without a doubt it’s important that local football fans get behind their local senior club and hopefully the supporters will come out again and support Institute. There may not be as many there as we would want but there are excellent and they do a lot. Small numbers but good people.” Russell concluded by agreeing with a point Paul Kee made when he addressed the Saturday Morning League’s 50th Anniversary Event at the weekend, when the former ‘Stute boss said that every talented young footballer should aim to play at the very highest level. “At the end of the day senior football is the highest level that you can play in the North” he said, “and any young player should be aspiring to get to that level. The only difference is commitment. If the best players are prepared to commit more time, there’s an opportunity here at ‘Stute to play senior football, and although its not for much financial reward, it’s certainly something well worth aspiring too.”