Johnston is urged to stay at Ards despite interest from the big guns

DANSKE BANK PREMIERSHIP ARDS defender Craig McClean hopes young goalkeeper Sam Johnston will continue his education at the north Down club and resist the urge to jump ship.

The 22-year-old stopper has been in sensational form this season and his heroics will not have gone unnoticed around the league.

With Roy Carroll approaching the end of his career at Linfield there is the possibility of the Blues bringing Johnston back to Windsor Park, where he started out, but there will be a long list of clubs seeking his signature.

Ards boss Colin Nixon is determined to hold onto his gifted number one for as long as possible and left-back McClean believes the youngster should consider rejecting the advances of big clubs.

“Sam has been excellent and I wouldn’t be surprised if the big teams were looking at him,” said the former Crusaders ace.

“My advice to him would be stay where you are. There is no point in going somewhere and sitting on the bench. He’s playing week in, week out at Ards and developing all the time.

“I hope he stays at Ards for a while but of course you have to be realistic and recognise that players have personal ambitions to play at a high level.

“Sam can thrive in a full-time environment, either in the south or across the water. He has the ability and as one of the experienced players at Ards I feel I can help him and encourage him to develop in the right way.”

Johnston honed his skills at the Linfield academy and a brilliant performance in Ards’ 0-0 draw at Windsor Park last month will have impressed Blues boss David Healy.

But Nixon’s immediate priority is tonight’s fixture at home to Institute and his cause hasn’t been helped by a growing injury list.

A home win would see Ards climb above Institute into ninth spot.

McClean, who helped Crusaders win three Premiership titles, is also keeping track of his old club’s progress and he’s not reading too much into the champions’ sluggish start.

“I am completely all for Crusaders going full-time but it’s a long term plan and I think it’s not surprising there are a few bumps in the road,” he added.

“Gavin Whyte (now at Oxford Utd) is irreplaceable. There is noone else in this league on his level. Stephen Baxter couldn’t buy a player to replace him and bring in what he does.

“If Gavin was in the team they would have more points.” Safe hands: Sam Johnston has been impressive for Ards COLERAINE have drawn up the blueprint for aspiring parochial teams to follow, according to Glenavon skipper Jonny Tuffey.

The shot-stopper will lead his table-topping side out at Ballycastle Road tomorrow against a Bannsiders outfit that is still getting to grips with life after Oran Kearney.

Rodney McAree’s tenure has made a spluttering start, with four draws on the spin, but with such an impressive home record, Tuffey knows that it is only a matter of time before they move back into top gear.

“It’s a huge game,” explained the former Northern Ireland goalkeeper. “Coleraine are on a fantastic unbeaten run at home and it’s not an easy place to go, but we’ll train hard this week and take care of our own business.

“I’m sure it’ll be an interesting game. Rodney has gone in there and he’ll be looking to implement his style and structure and what he wants from the squad.”

While Coleraine have stuttered, the Mourneview men have been making giant strides since their opening day defeat at home to Linfield, but since then they have dropped only two points to keep their noses in front of the Blues.

The plan, which Coleraine have followed superbly in the past 18 months, is a simple one and one Tuffey is keen to see continue.

“A bit of continuity and a bit of belief in the squad, where you have that quality with younger talent that’s hungry, have no fear and loads of energy and alongside one or two older heads to steady the ship and I think it’s a great balance,” he said.

“Coleraine have shown that for the last 18 months and it’s made for the other clubs to look at it.”

And manager Gary Hamilton is also a fan of the Bannsiders’ approach.

“It’s not as if they’re lucky, they’ve been doing it week in, week out, but somebody has to beat them at some stage, and we aim to be that team that beats them,” he said.