Talented Coleraine FC underage coach moves on to pursue senior managerial appointment

Talented Coleraine Under-20s coach Marty Smith has left the club to pursue a "fresh challenge" with reports suggesting a first taste of senior management could be in the offing. Smith has had a successful five-year spell with the Bannsiders completing a hat-trick of title wins at Under-16, Under-18 and Under-20 level.

The 38-year-old also won a European tie with Coleraine's U18s, when they became the first Northern Ireland side to compete in the UEFA Youth League, where they beat FK Pobeda in the first round before losing out to KRC Genk.

Smith has been instrumental in the development of some impressive talent at The Showgrounds with the likes of Patrick Kelly, Senan Devine, Alfie Gaston, Ciaran O’Hara, Sam McClintock and Aidan Tejada all progressing to the first team. He also led County Londonderry to SuperCup NI success last year as they won the Premier Section for the first time, but Smith feels the time is right to move on.

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“I’m looking forward to a fresh challenge, wherever that may be, but I will also be keeping a keen eye on events at Coleraine," he said. “I’ve had an unbelievable five years at the club. I’ve been privileged to work at one of the biggest clubs in the country and play a part in developing some top young talent.

“Winning the league title with under 16’s, under 18’s and more recently under 20’s and also leading the club in the UEFA Youth League will be major highlights for me and will always hold special memories. The friendships and relationships I have built with many people linked to and within the club is something that I won’t forget."

Coleraine boss Oran Kearney praise Smith for the job he has done on the Ballycastle Road and backed him to move into the senior game. “Marty and I have had a couple of good chats about the best plan forward in terms of where he sees himself," said Kearney.

“If he wanted to stay in the development side of the game, he is in the perfect job but there comes a point where you’ve got to bite the bullet in terms of moving into senior football. The easiest thing for us to do would have been to persuade Marty to stay but we wouldn’t be doing him any justice.

“We currently have a strong cohort of young players making the breakthrough into the first-team and it’s important that we can produce some of our own. Marty is the final part of that so-to-speak and it’s a great testament to him and all the coaches at the Academy that we have so many in and around the first-team at present.”

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