Football: Ives will bring 'winning mentality' to Coleraine, says Shiels

Coleraine Manager Dean Shiels says new signing Levi Ives will bring a 'winning mentality' to the club following his arrival from Larne.

The defender has moved to the Bannsiders after winning the Sports Direct Premiership title at Inver Park last season. The 27-year-old has joined for an undisclosed fee to become the third arrival this month, after Paddy Burns and Ronan Doherty.

Shiels said: “Levi is a big signing and defence was an area we were looking to strengthen in this window.

“He brings a lot of experience and a lot of quality in the defensive area, he’s a winner and he’s won everything there is to win in this country. He is a young age and we are getting his prime years which is massive for us.

“He is going to bring a winning mentality and getting winners in the building who have been there and done it will help," Shiels added.

After impressing at the SuperCupNI in 2014, the Ives started his senior career at Torquay United, making 20 appearances for the then Conference side.

He return to Northern Ireland a year later at Cliftonville, making more than 200 appearances for the Reds across a seven-year period. His time at Solitude would yield two League Cup triumphs, as well as success in the County Antrim Shield.

After moving to Larne in the summer of 2023, he helped the side secure the Gibson Cup title last season, as well as picking up another winners’ medal in the County Antrim Shield.

Ives was part of the Larne squad that became the first team from Northern Ireland to qualify for the group stages of European football this season.

With three signings in the door in the January window following signifciant investment from new majority owner Henry Ross, Coleraine are also believed to have secure a pre-contract agreement with Linfield attacker Joel Cooper.