By Johnny Morton

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After a summer of impressive recruitment, the Bannsiders have put together a six-game unbeaten run at the start of this season ahead of their clash with leaders Glentoran on Friday evening. Reigning Premiership Player of the Year Joel Cooper has settled quickly into life at The Showgrounds, already scoring four league goals, while Will Patching is showing his undoubted class. Following their 4-0 victory over Crusaders earlier this month, Declan Caddell labelled Coleraine’s performance as “the best I’ve seen from an Irish League team in a long, long time” and Higgins’ men netted another four against Portadown last weekend. Beverland, who came through the ranks at Coleraine and spent nine years in their senior squad, knows what it takes to succeed having won a Premiership title during his time with Crusaders. He feels Coleraine’s squad is superior to their Irish League rivals and it makes them genuine contenders for silverware glory. “The one thing that goes against clubs being genuine title contenders is not having the depth to make up for suspensions and injuries, but Coleraine arguably have three or four starters out of the team and you wouldn’t have realised it given their results,” he said. “The depth is certainly there at a level which is beyond any other team in the league, even Linfield. “The games against the likes of Linfield and Glentoran will be very tight, but I think over an 18 or 22-man squad that Coleraine’s is the strongest I’ve seen in the Irish League in a number of years. “They are producing young players as well. It’s harder for them to get minutes and a lot of them are out on loan at Championship clubs, so I think it’s important they maintain that player development because the fans really align with that. “There’s nothing fans love more than seeing a homegrown young player and I hope that doesn’t rule those players out from getting a chance when you’re able to go out and attract players from across the water.” Beverland played alongside Higgins at Coleraine during the final year of his career before he moved into coaching, initially with Dundalk and then onto Derry City. While Higgins has a star-studded squad at his disposal, Beverland feels his former team-mate deserves more credit for how he has been able to stamp his mark on the Irish League. “It looks like the players have really embraced Ruaidhri and his pedigree and experience has shone through,” he added. “I’ve heard a number of managers talk about Coleraine’s patterns of play which have been worked on in training and there was a set-piece against Crusaders which was straight off the training pitch. “Other managers will be a bit jealous because they’re full-time and able to work on those things more, but at the same time, the money and full-time thing can take away from what Ruaidhri has done. “You still have to go in, adapt and gel a group of players together while creating a self-belief. It feels they are quietly going about their business and they look like a very confident team. “I think clubs will fear playing against them and they’ll have an aura about them as the season continues.”