Former club captain Brendan Ward will not be returning for next season, manager Tommy Kincaid has announced.

Brendan Ward

The 27 year-old defender missed the last six games of the season through injury and although he was present at each game until the end of the campaign, the player will not be re-signed for another season.

Brendan was a signing for former boss George Neill in January 2006, when he left Amateur League side Kilmore Rec. The big centre-back performed admirably for the remainder of the season, although at times this year appeared to be off the pace of the First Division. He played 37 games and scored 3 goals in his time with Ards.

Fellow defender Evan Forsythe will not be retained either having played just seven games since moving from Dungannon Swifts in February. The former Ballyclare man arrived from the Swifts with striker Ronnie Burns, who also recently left the club.

Johnny Roy

Meanwhile, Tommy is pleased to tell supporters that he has agreed new deals with defender Johnny Cleary and midfielder Johnny Roy. Cleary extends his stay at Ards into a second season, following a mid-season move from Rosario.

Versatile Johnny Roy remains with the club, having first signed for Ards as a 16 year-old. His elevation to the first team over the past two seasons has been a welcome end result for the Ards youth system. In the past season Johnny played in 33 games and scored his first four goals for the club.

ardsfc.co.uk