Jim Ervin announced as new Ballymena United manager on three-year deal

Jim Ervin has been announced as the new manager of Ballymena United on a three-year deal.

The veteran Irish league star and former club captain takes over the Sky Blues from David Jeffrey, who left the team earlier this month.

Jim Ervin won a League Cup and County Antrim Shield at Ballymena during a seven-year stint after leaving Linfield in 2014 where he won multiple league titles and Irish Cups.

Ervin made 277 appearances in eight years at Sky Blues before moving on to Carrick Rangers in 2021. He replaces David Jeffrey, his former coach at Linfield, after he resigned as boss at the Showgrounds a few days after Ballymena were beaten 4-0 by Crusaders in the Irish Cup final earlier this month. It was the third such defeat in four years for the club.

Earlier this week David Jeffrey spoke of his departure saying it was "amicable" - and he hasn't ruled out a return to the Irish League. 

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