Paddy McLaughlin insists “there was no fall-out” which led him to step down as Cliftonville boss after being confirmed as Derry City assistant manager.

He rejected claims that a fall-out behind the scenes influenced his decision to leave.

“There is no foundation in the rumours, there was no fall-out, definitely not,” he told BBC Sport NI.

“The board have a strict budget that they stick by and that is the way it is. We all had our ambitions to do as well as we could and we stuck by that and the players were fantastic.

“There is nothing outside of working with [Derry City manager] Ruaidhri [Higgins] and for my hometown club that pulled me away.”

While McLaughlin said he is excited to work with the Derry boss, he expressed regret at his Solitude exit.

“It was with a heavy heart that I left and I was really disappointed to leave, but that is football,” he added.

“I made the call to go now to remove that doubt after the rumours over the weekend. The players didn’t know if I was coming or going, so I didn’t think it was fair for me to be hanging about much longer.”

‘Fresh voice needed for Cliftonville’s European bid’

After a promising start to the season, Cliftonville’s campaign has tailed off in recent weeks.

They exited the Irish Cup with a shock loss against Dungannon Swifts, while a defeat by the same side all but ended their title hopes.

The Reds have picked up just five points from their last seven games, dropping to fourth in the table, and they need to win the play-offs to secure European qualification.

McLaughlin hopes a new manager bounce can help his former side to seal a place in Europe and the huge windfall it brings the club.

“I think the disappointment of getting put out of the cup by Dungannon and then going out of the title race was still having an effect on a lot of the players.

“That probably played a role in the last couple of games and the performances that we have had. They weren’t like us, they were flat and very underwhelming.

“There is no time that is a good time to resign, but I was thinking then that a fresh voice and fresh ideas might give the players a boost and what they needed to get this European place over the line.”

Derry job ‘too good to turn down’

McLaughlin left Institute to become Cliftonville manager in February 2019, winning the County Antrim Shield and League Cup during his time in north Belfast.

He also came close to guiding Cliftonville to their first title since 2014 last season, as they missed out on the title by a point to Linfield, although he did seal European qualification with the second place finish.

As a result, McLaughlin reflects on his time at Solitude with fond memories.

“The club were brilliant with me, they gave me the opportunity four-and a-half years ago when no one really knew too much about me or what I was about and I appreciated that.

“I had the chance to go to Derry before and I was glad I turned it down looking back on it. We ran look Linfield close last year, we won the League Cup and got ourselves into Europe, so it was a good decision in the end.

“The most difficult part was telling the players, who have been fantastic. It was a tough conversation, but they understood the opportunity I was offered and knew it was too good to turn down.”

Pastures new

The former Derry City defender is enthused about the chance to return to the Brandywell and to a club that is firmly on the up.

“Opportunities to work for a club like Derry City don’t come around too often. I was lucky enough to be offered it a second time, and I wasn’t prepared to let it pass me by.

“You look at how well Ruaidhri has done.

“The players he has attracted to the club and the success he has had in a short time there. There is a buzz around the town and everyone is talking how exciting the times ahead will be.

“This time it feels that the timing is right to come into this environment and I just can’t wait to get started.”