Newry City role 'The best job I could have got' says new boss Stuart King

“I think I can make a difference,” he told the club’s social media channel.

“The set-up is unreal, the set-up is Premiership (standard), it's better than most of the Premiership teams. The 4G pitch is a big thing, the inside of the stands are as good as anywhere.

“It's up to me now to get a team that's competitive, and to get the fans on board, and make everybody feel wanted and appreciated, and make sure they feel that everything that they're doing is going to add to us.

“We have to put smiles on people's faces; we've got to get the fans on board. If they see that everybody is fighting in the same direction, and being committed and doing everything for results, and they improve the football club, then we'll be alright.”

King’s most recent spell as manager saw him take charge of Carrick Rangers for over three years in the Premiership.

Having left the role in October, King has had some time out of the dug-out which he enjoyed, but when the offer to manage Newry arose, he said that he was ‘absolutely delighted’ that they came to him.

“I had plenty of time away, I went away with work, but I had lots of time with family, and doing lots of things that I hadn't been doing, because when you become a manager it takes up your whole life.

“I also have a full-time job and I wanted to get back in, but I wasn't just going to jump on anything, and there has been offers, but had to be right. This is ideal for me, it's probably the best job I could have got, and I'm absolutely delighted that they came to me.

“It's something that I wanted to do, I was enjoying doing the press, the radio, and the TV, and hopefully still do that when I can, but I'm a football manager, I'm a coach. I feel that's what I can do, I feel I can get the best out of people and I think I've done that in previous jobs.

“It's something I'm really excited about, honestly, it's a fresh start, it's a clean slate, and it's something that really excites me, and I genuinely think that I can make a big, big difference.”

It has been a tumultuous spell in Newry City’s history, as they suffered relegation from the Premiership in 2024, and relegation from the Championship this season.

Whilst the supporters will be hungry to see the team start winning matches on a regular basis once again – and ultimately claim promotion – King says that it would be disrespectful to the other teams in the division to talk about the team’s goals in that manner.

“My realistic goal now is to make this place better, that's all I'm going to say,” he said.

“I've got to be respectful, there are lots of good teams in the PIL, there are lots of big teams and there are lots of clubs who want the same things as what we do.

“I want to win games of football, I want to be successful and I want to win trophies. That's in my nature, I don't like getting beat, but I've got to be respectful of everybody else.

“What I'll say to the supporters is that anybody who plays for me, or anybody works for me will give everything, and if they don't they won't be here and that's the way I am.

“I get the best out of people, I demand the best, and I set that because that's the way I am. I lead from the front, and I want to do the best, I want to get everything out of everybody, so that's what I get, and I think any fan will love it. I think that's worked in my other jobs that I've had, so genuinely I'm excited to do that.”