Irish Premiership: Stephen Baxter ‘one of the best managers we’ve ever had’ – Liam Beckett

When Stephen Baxter took charge of Crusaders against Cliftonville for the first time in April 2005, nobody would have predicted then that almost two decades of derby days lay ahead.

Not least the man in the opposing dug-out.

Cliftonville’s win that afternoon, a 1-0 victory secured by Peter Telford’s 36th minute header, came only two months after Baxter had succeeded Alan Dornan on the Shore Road. Less than a fortnight later, his side would be relegated to the second tier.

Imagine suggesting then that the managerial rookie would still be there 19 years, not to mention three Irish League titles, later.

Now the longest serving manger in world football, Baxter will face the Reds one last time on Tuesday night before stepping away at the end of this season, his longevity with Crusaders causing the man who led Cliftonville in that ’05 derby to call him one of the three best managers the Irish League has ever had.

“I remember speaking to Stephen after that game and telling him to keep the head up,” said Liam Beckett, then in his sole season in charge at Solitude.

“Stephen said to me, and I’ll never forget it, he said to me ‘that result today might have put us down’.

“A big part of my heart is at Seaview, obviously, because I played there and was a part of a team that won their first league title.

“That day, I felt terrible. My job was to win the match for Cliftonville but my heart was aching. I remember thinking, ‘God help you Stephen’, but 19 years later he’s still here and still producing the goods.”