Rooney leaves Larne after one game of new season
Rooney was appointed as Tiernan Lynch's replacement last year
- Published
Nathan Rooney has left his position as Larne manager by mutual consent just one game into the new Irish Premiership season.
In a statement on Monday evening, the club said the decision was taken "in line with implementing our long-term football strategy and what we believe will gives us the best possible opportunity to succeed in the years to come, both on and off the pitch".
The Englishman was brought in as Tiernan Lynch's successor last November from Gibraltar side Bruno's Magpies.
However, he temporarily became Larne's head of football just three weeks after being appointed because he did not hold the licence required to lead the club in Uefa Conference League matches.
While the 35-year-old was reinstalled as manager in May after being accepted on to his Pro Licence course, he departs four days after the club were knocked out of Uefa Conference League qualifying by Portuguese side Santa Clara.
Larne also lost their opening Irish Premiership match to Coleraine and travel to Solitude to face Cliftonville on Tuesday (19:45 BST) in a game which will be broadcast live on the BBC iPlayer.
Gary Haveron, who stepped in as head coach during last season's reshuffle, will take interim charge while the club search for Rooney's successor.
The Inver Park club won back-to-back Irish Premiership titles in 2023 and 2024, but finished 22 points behind champions Linfield last season in finishing second.
Last month, Kenny Bruce brought his eight-year spell as club owner to an end by selling his 50% stake to North American investment firm Redball Global FC.
Timeline of Rooney's Larne tenure
25 November 2024 - Larne confirm Rooney as Tiernan Lynch's replacement as manager after history-making boss Lynch left the club to join League of Ireland Premier Division side Derry City.
1 December 2024 - Rooney's first Irish Premiership game saw his side draw 1-1 with Cliftonville at Inver Park. His other game in charge brought a 5-0 BetMcLean Cup success over Annagh United.
14 December 2024 - Having led Larne for their Uefa Conference League games because Rooney did not possess the necessary coaching qualification to lead the club in European competition, Gary Haveron officially takes up the position of head coach, with Rooney moving to assume the role of head of football as part of a restructure at the Inver Park outfit.
25 May 2025 - Rooney is reinstalled as Larne manager after the Englishman enrolled on a Uefa Pro Licence course, with Haveron reverting to his previous position as first team coach.
10 August 2025 - Larne begin their Premiership season under Rooney with a 1-0 reverse at the hands of Coleraine, courtesy of Joel Cooper's late goal.
14 August 2025 - Having guided his side to dramatic penalty shootout successes over Auda and Prishtina in the first two qualifying rounds of the Uefa Conference League, Rooney's last game in charge of the Invermen proves to be their 1-0 away defeat in the second leg of their third qualifying round tie against Santa Clara.
Larne had lost the first leg 3-0 at Ballymena Showgrounds.