Walker seeking Port in a storm

ROY Walker will this week sift through the wreckage of the weekend humiliation by Donegal Celtic as he bids to kick-start Ballymena United's season.

The Sky Blues were humbled 4-0 at home by newly-promoted DC on Saturday, prompting calls from a section of angry supporters for the manager's resignation at the final whistle.

Walker himself was unusually non-committal about his future when questioned by Times Sport immediately after the game, declining to make any comment on his personal situation.

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He did concede: "I can understand that (criticism). It is and always will be an occupational hazard and that's fair. The people who pay their money are entitled to say what they say.

"The people I feel most sorry for aren't the ones sitting in the dressing room, it's the people on the terraces.

"We have given them a false sense of something (by drawing at Linfield the previous week) only to snatch it so cruelly away from them.

"I told the players that was a performance that breaks people, that breaks a club and breaks a group up.

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"As early as we are in the season, that performance...any more of them and I would have to question a whole lot of things.

"There would certainly be questions I would ask that for now would be private but I already know the answers to them."

Walker will return to training this week and attempt to turn around the fortunes of a United side which faces five away games out of its next seven in the league, starting with a trip to Portadown this Saturday (3pm).

Given Saturday's dismal display, it seems inconceivable that the manager won't ring the changes at Shamrock Park and his options will increase by having Mark Surgenor available for the first time this season after completing a two-match ban carried over from last season.

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Former Bradford City trainee Rory Carson signed during the week and Walker hopes to add to his midfield further this week by completing the signing of Nathan Hanley.

"By Tuesday we should know what is happening with Nathan. He has intimated that if he's staying in Northern Ireland he's signing for us so that deal is done – he just has to tie up a few loose ends," added Roy.

* Seven Towers Supporters' Club transport for Saturday's match at Shamrock Park leaves Henry Street car park at 1.30pm.

* The club extends sympathy to sports therapist Gordon McCartney on the death of his father, William.

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