Bonagee United has confirmed Dry Arch Park favourite Michael Funston as the club’s new senior team manager.
Michael has been installed following the departure of Packie Mailey last week. His backroom team will be confirmed in due course.
Michael, a son of club president Eric Funston, has been a part of the fabric at Bonagee United since his formative years.
“It’s a huge honour that the club has asked me to take the job,” he said. “It’s the club I grew up at. It’s not lost on me that my local club has asked me to manage it.
“It’s a huge opportunity for me. My father is the club president and one of the founder members so I know what the expectations are and the responsibility is. It was a big decision with a young family, but it’s a decision that I am delighted to make.”
After playing schoolboys football at the club and graduating to the senior fringes, he was snapped up as a teenager by Finn Harps in 2004. He went on to play 335 times for Harps and is one of the club’s top 10 appearance holders of all time.
In Harps’ colours, he scored 32 goals before returning to Bonagee United in the summer of 2017.
Last September, a cruciate knee ligament injury ended his playing career. Having scored the match winner in the season opener against Fanad United, he remained as part of the management team of Packie Mailey, a former team-mate at Harps and Bonagee.
He said: “I felt I had the hunger to step into the job. I feel that we have a super squad and I thoroughly enjoyed working with them. That has given me a desire to be successful with them. I can’t wait to get started and to represent the club.”
During his recent stint at Bonagee United as a player, Michael won two Knockalla Caravans Senior Cups, three Ulster Senior League Cups and a North West of Ulster Intermediate Cup.
Bonagee United Chairman Niall Callaghan said: “We are delighted that Michael Funston has accepted the role as our new senior team manager. Michael is one of our own and knows the club inside-out. He has always been a proud Bonagee United man and will need no introduction to the club or its workings.
“The club felt that it was important to make a swift appointment after Packie left and Michael was the first name on the list. Bonagee United wish Michael Funston and his backroom team, which will be confirmed shortly, best wishes and every success in the role.”
Tags:
