'Common sense' to start league on time - Haveron

Larne manager Gary Haveron said the prevention of a delayed start to the Irish Premiership and Championship seasons is the "best solution" after proposals put forward by the Northern Ireland Football League were approved on Tuesday night. The vast majority of clubs voted in favour of the three proposals that were put forward by NIFL at an extraordinary general meeting [EGM] . Should the EGM not have occurred or NIFL failed to gain 75% of the votes, both seasons starting on Friday, 7 August would have been in doubt. "I think by far it's the best solution that could have happened," Haveron told BBC Sport NI. "I think NIFL has been an absolute breath of fresh air for this league. I'm massively supportive of them and I think they're trying to push for all the right reasons, to try and progress the league and move us in the right direction and I feel faith that they will. "I'm glad that common sense has prevailed there and the right decision has been come to. I hope everybody just moves on very swiftly from it and the league can go ahead again." 'I can't wait to get going again' The three motions discussed and passed were the Approval of League Restructuring, the Adoption of League Rules (2025/26) and the Approval of Competition Rules (2026/27). The proposals were raised following Banbridge Town's legal challenge after they were not included in the expanded 16-team Championship and were placed in the Conference League, a decision which the Irish FA's Appeals Committee ruled was "unlawful". "It's not nice," Haveron said when asked about the threat of the league being pushed back. "I'm absolutely delighted that we're going to have football this weekend. I'll be out watching games and supporting teams on Saturday and I can't wait for it to get going again and see what challenges lie ahead." Irish League season will start on time after EGM votes Larne hold FC Iberia 1999 to goalless draw in Europa League first leg There will be a vote over summer football - Lawlor Larne 'very supportive of summer football' Larne vice secretary Neil Clarke also believes the right decision has been made as the Inver Reds prepare for the start of the domestic season as well as balancing European football qualifiers. The side drew 0-0 with FC Iberia 1999 at Inver Park in their Europa League third qualifying round match to set up a winner-takes-all second leg In Georgia next week, but Clarke said that the Irish Premiership is "the most important thing" for the side. "We all want the league to start, and we want to get back to what we're doing on weekends and get the whole atmosphere and everything going again," Clarke told BBC Sport NI. "I am delighted that it appears everything is on track and ready to go for this weekend. It's been very hard. "The league is the most important thing for us. Europe is brilliant, it's really great and it's a great experience for everybody, but we need the league to get back into Europe next year." It has been a far from quiet few weeks as the campaign has approached with the threat of the season being postponed, fears of Larne's European match being delayed and NIFL chief executive Gerard Lawlor confirming there will be a vote around a potential switch to summer football. Clarke added that the defending Premiership champions would be in favour of a move from the traditional August to May campaign to the same format as the Premier Division in the Republic of Ireland, a mid-February to early November season. "As a club, we're very supportive of it and I think summer football is a great idea," he continued. "I think we're prepared to try probably anything but, for me, summer football's not just about preparing for Europe. I think it's obviously a bit more attractive for fans. "I think everything's on the table. You have to look at anything that comes forward."