Caddell 'will put his own stamp' on Crusaders

Declan Caddell succeeds long-serving Crusaders manager Stephen Baxter

New Crusaders manager Declan Caddell goes into the 2024-25 Irish League season with massive shoes to fill in the form of long-serving ex-boss Stephen Baxter - but says he is determined to "put his own stamp" on the club.

Baxter announced in early February that he intended to bring the curtain down on his 19-year tenure at the Seaview club at the end of the season and the following month it was revealed that one of the mainstays of his squad over that period would replace him.

Former midfielder Caddell joined the Crues at 15 years of age and won three Premiership titles, four Irish Cups, a League Cup and three County Antrim Shields during a decorated career with the north Belfast outfit.

The 35-year-old was appointed head of Crusaders Football Academy two years ago.

"From making my debut in 2007 I’ve seen how it’s grown to where they are now. It’s light years ahead of where it was," Caddell told BBC Sport NI.

"Now it’s up to me, taking over from Stephen, to push it on that little bit further – make the club better, more sustainable and put my own stamp on the playing style.

"I have to do what’s right for our club and first and foremost that’s sustainability, make the sure the club is secure, you’re bringing in players, sticking to a plan for the future."

Caddell scored the winning goal in Crusaders' Irish Cup semi-final win over Dungannon in April 2023

'I see myself as ambitious'

Caddell adds that he wants to build on the success achieved by Crusaders during Baxter's lengthy spell at the helm, including challenging for trophies and regular qualification for European competition.

“We need to be competitive, as we have been over the last 10 or 15 years. European football is massive for clubs in this league in terms of financial reward," explained the new Crues boss.

“We’re just trying to put things together to build for the future. We’ve had a brilliant run in terms of the success and the trophies.

“It’s now a new era but thankfully for me walking in, the squad I’ve inherited off Stephen, he has done a lot of the donkey work. I’m coming in to work with good pros, good players and a good squad."

The close season has seen the likes of Paul Heatley and Ben Kennedy leave the club to head to pastures new, while recruits include Jordan Stewart from Linfield, Kieran Offord on a season-long loan from St Mirren, Billy Vance from Crewe United and Jacob Blaney from Hibernian.

"We've had players coming in and going out but it's been a long pre-season, we've had the boys in from the middle of June and they're all eager to just get going now.

"I know the players like the back of my hand, what makes them tick, their personalities, their family life, so it’s made that transition to get to know the boys, especially the younger ones, a lot easier.

"You have to put your own stamp on it. I see myself as being quite ambitious, I want to make changes.

"It’s testament to the league now that players are coming from the south, Scotland and England. The league is growing in terms of popularity, the number of people watching it, it’s all improving, so that gives us the opportunity to bring these players in and develop them. That’s what it’s all about."