the helm. The final nail in the coffin was the Irish Cup semi-final defeat to minnows Larne at the Oval, as the Braidmen finished a disappointing eighth after a season that had promised so much. Former Northern Ireland and Ballymena United goalkeeper Tommy Wright took over as manager on a full-time basis – a first for the club. Despite a slow start, he stamped his authority on the side bringing a number of new players in including a young Scottish striker Kevin Kelbie, whose goals in the second half of the season almost fired United to their first trophy in 17 years when they agonisingly lost the County Antrim Shield final to Linfield at Seaview. A credible seventh place was reward for Wright's work over the course of the 2005–06 season. The following year proved disappointing as the club failed to make any progression to becoming a side capable of winning trophies after finishing ninth, the highlight of the season was the visit of English Premier League side Manchester City to Warden Street as part of the transfer deal that took goalkeeper Richard McKinney to England eight years earlier. The next season though saw Wright's side finally come of age as after an incredible 4–2 victory at the Oval on New Year's Day 2008 they looked like potential title challengers. This was to be the pinnacle of the success as teenage sensation Johnny Flynn was sold to Blackburn Rovers and Wright was linked with a move to Norwich City. Although the manager signed a new contract in January his team collapsed in their pursuit of success and Wright resigned in April 2008 only to re-emerge at Norwich a few months later. Jim Grattan was appointed caretaker manager briefly before Roy Walker took charge from 2008 to 2011 when he was sacked after little progress made during his time at the club. Glenn Ferguson era (2011–2016) Following Walker's sacking, United asked permission from Lisburn Distillery to speak to their first team coach Glenn Ferguson and they successfully appointed him in June 2011. During Ferguson's tenure they secured their first major trophy in quite a while by winning the County Antrim Shield and reaching the 2014 Irish Cup final before losing to Glenavon by 2–1 with the Mid-Ulster side winning their first Irish Cup in 17 years. The following year, United reached the semi-final of the Irish Cup before being defeated 3–1