It was the end of an era at Enniskillen Rangers on Saturday as player-manager Michael Kerr was given a guard of honour as he left the pitch for his final home game in charge.
After a glittering period that yielded three Mercer League titles and four Junior Cups, Kerr informed Rangers’ chairman Tony Roofe last week that he was stepping down.
While the day ended in defeat to title-chasing Kesh, it was the glory days of the last decade or so that came to mind on Kerr’s Rangers farewell.
“I informed Tony last week that I would leave at the end of the season and just felt it was the right time,” said Kerr. “Really and truly I have been doing this 10 years.
“I want the club to have time to find the right person and push on from here and achieve more. I think the players need a fresh voice now and someone else to come in and push the thing on.
“It was a hard decision and it wasn’t easy telling the boys. But it feels like the right time.”
Tony Roofe said “I’m obviously very disappointed that he is stepping away. He has been the most successful manager in Enniskillen Rangers’ history. Unrivalled success with four Junior Cups being the pinnacle.
“Apart from winning trophies his success was attracting people to the club and playing in a style and in a manner that was synonymous with Enniskillen Rangers over the years.”
Roofe hailed Kerr’s tactical awareness adding “everything that he brought to the club will be sorely missed and at the club we’re still getting over the fact that we’re losing the most successful manager that we’ve ever had.
“All we can do is wish Michael all the very best for the future and we’re still hopeful that that future will have a big part to play on the future of Enniskillen Rangers.”
Read Kerr’s full interview in Wednesday’s paper
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