Harland & Wolff Welders opt for ex-Institute manager Paul Kee to lead them up the table

The Lough 41 Championship side parted company with Gary Smyth just four matches into the new league season after a disappointing start.

Smyth was in his second spell in charge of the east Belfast outfit having previously been the boss at Glentoran.

In his first stint, he led the club to Steel and Sons Cup glory before returning to manage them in 2019, coaching and managing at the Glens in between.

The Welders have now turned to former Coleraine and Crusaders midfielder Kee who left his role as Institute manager in 2015.

The club dropped out of the Premiership after finishing bottom of the standings with 21 points from 38 games.

Kee was in his second spell with the north-west club after returning to Stute in 2011 following a first stint in charge from 1999 to 2002.

It was a brief stay in the top-flight for Institute after their promotion as Championship winners in 2014.

Kee has also managed Omagh Town, Carlisle and Limavady United, and he worked for the Irish FA as a county performance coach and Northern Ireland Under-17 manager.

The 55-year-old Uefa Pro Licence coach was the choice of the Welders Finance Committee and he was scheduled to meet the players on Tuesday night.

Kee, who was brought to Nottingham Forest by legendary manager Brian Clough in the 1980s, has recently been sharing his coaching expertise as Managing Director of Maiden City Soccer Academy in his native Derry.

His first game in charge of the Welders is expected to be the trip to Annagh United on Saturday (3pm).

The Welders sit second from bottom of he Championship, with only one win from their first seven league clashes.

Now in their new state-of-the-art Blanchflower Stadium, the ambitious club wants to secure promotion to the Danske Bank Premeirship.

Annagh will start the game in second place after beating Dundela 2-1 last night at Wilgar Park,

Stephen Murray gave Annagh the lead in the 36th minute but Eamon Fyfe equalised for the home side in first half stoppage time.

Annagh were reduced to 10 men in the 78th minute after a second yellow card but, undaunted, four minutes later Ruairi McDonald scored the winner.

...