Coleraine ace Dean Jarvis delighted to be a full-time footballer yet again as Bannsiders set to announce a new deal for star midfielder

The Bannsiders are set to embark into full-time football for the first time in the club's history ahead of the 2024/25 campaign - with Jarvis eager to make the most of that opportunity.

The full-time model has also seen Coleraine undertake a managerial restructure as Dean Shiels has been appointed as Head Coach, with Oran Kearney moving into a Sporting Director role.

32-year-old Jarvis, who has previously been full-time at the likes of Aberdeen, Derry City, Dundalk and Larne, is hoping to pass on his experience to the younger members of the Coleraine squad.

Coleraine full-back Dean Jarvis (right) is delighted to have agreed a new two-year contract at The Showgrounds

"I'm buzzing to get it over the line," he told Coleraine social media channels.

"We obviously didn't know what was happening at the end of the year but after speaking to Oran (Kearney) over the last week or two, we came to an agreement.

"It's just the love of playing the game. Training two nights the last two years was something different. I liked it at times and didn't like it at times.

"It's just playing football every day, improving and even at my age I'm still buzzing to play.

"It was one of those ones when I was speaking to Oran...it seemed like it was going to be a transition year no matter what.

"I felt it would have been a bit of a waste if we stayed part-time and I stayed for another year on a part-time contract.

"Getting the two-year deal now from Oran, it might still be a transition year but I think it's a better thing to happen for the club because it would have happened another year down the line anyway."

Jarvis has yet to pick up silverware since his move to the Ballycastle Road two years ago – but that is something he wants to put right.

He explained: "As a player, you don't really take too much into what's happening off the pitch.

"What you can control as a player in terms of training and leading by example on the pitch, the way I train, pushing the young players on and really driving home that full-time aspect.

"I want to enjoy my football, play as much as I can and get more success. We got close last year in the League Cup final but I'm missing that real desire to get that success.

"Would I have seen that possible if we stayed part-time? Probably not.

"That aspect is exciting to me because there's so much more we can add as a team.”

Meanwhile, the Bannsiders are set to receive a further boost as the News Letter understands that Jamie Glackin will also agree terms on a full-time contract.

The midfielder has made 210 appearances since joining Coleraine from Crusaders in January 2019.

He will join Rory Brown, Lyndon Kane, Matthew Shevlin, Jack Scott, Jamie McGonigle, Cameron Stewart, Sam McClintock and Aidan Tejada in becoming full-time professionals on the north coast.