There’s life after Kieran Offord for Crusaders says manager Declan Caddell after beating Portadown at Seaview on Saturday.
Harry Franklin, Jordan Forsythe and Harry Jewitt-White scored the goals for Caddell’s side, with Josh Ukek and Lee Chapman on target for the visitors.
The Ports will look upon the game as a missed opportunity after creating plenty of opportunities, but the Hatchetmen dug in to claim all three points.
Offord enjoyed a stellar loan spell in north Belfast but was recalled by parent club St Mirren and has since been unveiled by Linfield after they beat Glentoran to the 20-year-old’s signature.
Caddell admits he would have liked Offord to have stayed at Seaview until the end of the season, but believes there are more rough diamonds out there in the market.
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“During pre-season, I had to pick Kieran up off the floor after his loan spell last year (at Stirling Albion) and build him up and build confidence in himself,” said Caddell.
“He developed into a more complete and better player and he was brilliant for us.
“For me, it probably would have been better if he finished the season here and went to England or wherever it may be.
“It’s his ambition to play in England but there are a couple of clubs interested in him here, which is understandable considering the season he’s had.
“If he has decided to go elsewhere, then I wish him all the best.
“I’m here to develop players and help their careers, I wanted Kieran to use us as a stepping stone to bigger and better things, and he’s done that.
“I’ve delivered on my promises, I fulfilled everything I said I was going to do for him and he walks away a better footballer.
“I can take a lot of pride in that, the club can take a lot of pride in that and now we move on.
“It was nice that we scored three goals on Saturday without Kieran, other players are chipping in with goals now; Harry Franklin, Jordan Forsythe and Harry Jewitt-White.
“Stewart Nixon got two assists as well so it’s all positive.
More Crusaders celebrations after Jordan Forsythe’s goal
“It’s a big window, there is a lot of movement but we can’t compete with certain clubs in terms of spending and wages.
“We look after ourselves and do what suits our football club to fit in with the model and profile of the player we want.
“There are a load of gems out there like Kieran Offord all over the UK and it’s about putting them into the right environment and giving them the right opportunity to showcase what they can do.
“We did it with Kieran and the other boys too — Jacob Blaney, Harry Franklin, Harry Jewitt-White — and Alex King has now signed as well so we’re looking forward to getting him involved.
“It’s a great platform for them to come and play and learn their trade and it’s a route we’ll be going down in the future.”
Harry Jewitt-White challenges Portadown’s Raby Minzaba
Portadown manager Niall Currie felt his players made it too easy for the Crues through indecisive defending and urged them to go back to basics.
“You wouldn’t have seen centre-halves in my time like Brian Strain, Alfie Stewart, Winkie Murphy trying to take the ball down and taking two or three touches,” said Currie.
“The ball went out and you regrouped and we’ve certainly told them Row Z is good enough for us and hopefully they learn from it.
“They were really disappointing goals to concede but the positives were the chances we created and the level of performance in the first-half, it was really, really high.”
Crusaders:Tuffey, Jewitt-White, Blaney, Forsythe, O’Rourke, Larmour, Smith (Downey 90), O’Connor, Clarke (Williamson 72), Nixon 7, Franklin (Owens 75). Unused subs: Brown, Callacher, Barr, Bond.
Portadown: McCarey, Altintop (Wilson 84), MacKinnon, Chapman, Mayse (Obhakhan 71), McCullough, Ukek, Teelan (Wylie 71), Manzinba, McCartan (Fyfe 84), Thompson. Unused subs: Williamson, McElroy, Traynor.
Referee: Ben McMaster (Belfast)
Man of the Match: Jordan Forsythe
Match rating: 7/10