Reds embrace power of positive thinking

McConnell was delighted to bank the Reds’ first win of the Championship 1 campaign, but said local man Hugh Russell had a major role to play in their success.

“Hugh Russell is a psychologist by profession and he’s also a Larne supporter. Indeed, I think I am right in saying, at one stage, he might even have been on the board

“I know from previous experience he can get players to focus on positive things and I asked him to come down on Thursday night and talk to the lads for an hour after training,” McConnell told the Times.

He added: “I could tell the players had gained a lot from the exercise and I know my mind was totally refreshed at the end of the hour. I felt really positive and it seemed clear to me that Hugh had opened players’ minds to the power of positive thinking.

“Recently Hugh, like a good few other supporters, had drifted away. But, as is my habit, I watched the first half of the game from the stands and I noticed he was there on Saturday. I spotted him again applauding the team off the pitch along with the rest and I asked him to come down to see the players.

“Obviously, there was great euphoria in the dressing room with lots of people lavishing praise to others, but I can tell you Hugh got the biggest round of applause when he was welcomed; the hugging and backslapping he got showing exactly how much the players attributed the change to his excellent talk.”

Read the full story in this week’s Larne Times

Tomorrow (Saturday) Larne play host to Dergview in a Championship 1 match at Inver Park