The refusal of a Championship licence has not come as a surprise to Ballyclare Comrades FC. The Club is working to address issues which will allow it to obtain this licence in the future. Obtaining this licence would allow the Club to be accepted into the IFA Premiership, if it were in a position to win promotion to that level. The refusal of this licence has no impact on the Club's participation in Championship 2 next season, nor on it playing in Championship 1, if promotion was achieved to that level. The application process has been useful in allowing the club to be assured that it continues to meet the vast majority of the licencing criteria.

Comrades management team has been reshuffled to allow for Eddie Hill to make himself available for selection before the end of the season. Stephen Hughes steps up from assistant to become joint manager along with Eddie. Meanwhile, former Comrades favourite Gary Bell (pictured), returns to the club as assistant manager. 'Dinger' was a very popular player in his time with the Club and has in recent years been playing for Nortel. Whilst at the Monkstown club, he suffered a bad leg break, which brought his playing career to a close and he then took up the role of assistant there to former Comrades boss Jamesy Kirk. He is a very welcome addition to the managerial team at Dixon Park.

Manager Eddie Hill has made further signings befiore the end of the January transfer window. Experienced former Portadown, Port Talbot, Loughgall and Bangor central defender Paul Harbinson has arrived from H&W Welders. Returning to the Club is talented midfielder Mark Patterson (pictured), who having progressed from the Comrades youth set-up, becoming a first team regular and youth international in the 2007/08 season, moved to join Cliftonville, managed by his father Eddie Patterson. Mark has recently been studying in England and playing for Bamber Bridge in the Northern Premier League.

Two players leaving Comrades in the January transfer window are Kevin O'Hare and Aaron Ibinson (pictured). Defender O'Hare played 2 games for the first team and was a regular in the Reserves. He leaves to join Dunmurry Rec. Midfielder Ibinson, had made the fringes of the first team this season, appearing in 8 games, 7 as a substitute. He leaves for Donegal Celtic. The Club wishes Kevin and Aaron good luck for the future.

Eddie Hill has added to his squad with the signing of five players early in the January transfer window. The players arriving have all been at the Club before and are: Ronnie Burns, a striker who has scored 33 goals for the club and was previously with Comrades until the end of last season, before leaving for a spell at Ballynure OB; Stuart Galbraith (pictured), a veteran midfielder who has played over 150 games for the Club and first appeared as far back as the 1994/95 season; Aaron Montgomery, a defender, who played a handful of games for the Club in the 2004/05 season, before enjoying spell in the Premiership with Crusaders and then taking a break from football for a couple of years; Simon McGowan, a midfielder, who was at the Club until the end of last season, appearing in over 100 games,before leaving for a short spell at Nortel; and Ricky Moore, a striker who was previously at the Club in the 2009/10 season and arrives from Newtownabbey FC.

Ross Glendinnning's successful loan spell from Linfield has ended, with the young keeper now returning to the Premiership champions, to try to move through the ranks towards the first team. Ross' performances in his 19 games for Comrades this season have been very impressive and he leaves with thanks and best wishes from all at the Club.