Baxter's six of the best as Crusaders boss - in his own words

With 950 matches complete 19 years, 12 trophies and a world record, it wasn't an easy task for Stephen Baxter to prime his favourite memories arsenic Crusaders manager.

Since taking taking complete astatine Seaview successful 2005, Baxter has seen it each and won each trophy successful nan game.

"Whenever you spell done 950 games and you don't spot them whizzing past you, it intends you've enjoyed them all," he said.

"At this infinitesimal successful clip it hasn't deed location but erstwhile nan last whistle blows connected it, I'll beryllium capable to say, 'wow, what a ride'."

Ahead of his last Irish Premiership lucifer pinch Crusaders - against Glentoran connected Saturday - we asked Baxter to prime his six of nan best.

The Setanta Cup was a cross-border title featuring Irish Premiership and League of Ireland sides. Derry City were large favourites, but Colin Coates scored doubly arsenic Baxter's side, down to 10 men aft Stephen McBride's precocious reddish card, took nan Candystripes to penalties. Gareth McKeown struck nan victor successful abrupt decease aft Sean O'Neill saved from Dermot McCafffrey.

Stephen Baxter: "I've ever said that beating Derry City connected penalties successful nan Setanta Cup last is astir apt my standout moment. Probably pinch nan value of nan all-island tournament.

"The confederate teams were astir apt considered arsenic being nan champion astatine that period. We had played Bohemians successful Dublin and an incredibly-good Sligo Rovers squad to get done to nan final.

"We had mislaid to Linfield successful nan Irish Cup nan week earlier and no-one gave america a dream to hit Derry City. To spell to nan Oval, triumph that crippled and bring nan Setanta Cup location to Seaview was conscionable phenomenal."

If you can't triumph your first title astatine your location ground, past nan adjacent champion point is to do it astatine nan crushed of your rivals. That's precisely what happened erstwhile Crusaders defeated Cliftonville to unafraid nan 2014-15 Irish Premiership. Paul Heatley scored an early victor successful a lucifer that will everlastingly beryllium remembered for nan iconic celebrations, erstwhile Baxter jumped up connected nan aged ligament fencing astir Solitude and trim his hands arsenic he went to shake hands nan fans.

SB: "There is ever thing successful firsts, truthful that was rather special. We won it pinch a small spot to spare that year. The standout infinitesimal was maine jumping connected a obstruction and ripping nan hands disconnected myself pinch nan ligament erstwhile celebrating pinch our fans.

"You're conscionable truthful relieved, truthful to stock that pinch nan supporters, having not won nan title for 18 years was a phenomenal moment. That exuberance and elation of winning, you conscionable want to celebrate. Everyone was going mental.

"I deliberation it says a batch astir nan narration betwixt Cliftonville and Crusaders that rather a number of their fans stayed to clap us.

"A mates of years erstwhile they had won it and I had really switched nan crippled astatine Seaview up to Solitude truthful they could assistance nan title astatine their ain ground. I deliberation a number of them recognised that and it shows a batch of respect betwixt nan 2 clubs."

Crusaders had suffered a "mini collapse" successful their pursuit of 3 titles successful a statement successful 2017, but they bounced backmost nan pursuing twelvemonth to declare nan title connected nan last day. Taking connected Ballymena United, Philip Lowry and David Cushley scored for nan Crues aft Cathair Friel had fixed nan hosts nan lead. The resilient triumph - coupled pinch Coleraine's tie pinch Glenavon - ensured nan title would extremity up backmost astatine Seaview.

SB: "We went a extremity down that time and had to travel backmost to triumph 2-1.That title went correct to nan past time of nan play and correct to nan wire.

"Coleraine had a phenomenal season, but truthful did we. I deliberation nan squad scored complete 100 goals that season, it was conscionable incredible. We astir apt didn't get nan nickname we deserved for it, but for maine that was nan champion title.

"To get crossed nan statement successful a 38-game run is immoderate going. Thankfully we managed to do it."

It was a celebrated time for Baxter and Crusaders, arsenic Mark Dickson scored nan only extremity of nan crippled astatine Windsor Park against Cliftonville to extremity nan 41-year hold to regain nan Irish Cup. Dickson scored early successful nan 2nd half and it would beryllium nan first of 4 Irish Cup triumphs for Baxter, who is thing of a master successful nan competition.

SB: "It was my first elder trophy. It was conscionable incredible. Our precocious erstwhile president Jim Semple presented nan trophy that day. It was a very typical time for each of us.

"Cliftonville were favourites to triumph it, but we had a sensational day. I retrieve Gary Smyth and Colin Coates heading each shot retired successful nan past 20 minutes to unafraid nan victory. What a nighttime of celebrations that was aft we brought nan Irish Cup home.

"We person had a really bully tally astatine nan cups and we person enjoyed each 1 of them."

After their convention triumph earned Crusaders a way into 2015-16 Champions League qualifying, small was expected of nan Belfast broadside erstwhile they were drawn pinch Levadia Tallinn. However, aft a 0-0 tie astatine Seaview, they produced a superb distant capacity to scope nan adjacent information connected distant goals aft Michael Carvill's effort earned a 1-1 tie successful Estonia.

SB: "It was a typical nighttime for nan club. I deliberation nan statement afterwards was amended than nan match. To get done connected a reliable distant fixture was conscionable fantastic. To observe pinch our fans successful nan quadrate successful Tallinn, successful a section pub, everyone sang agelong into nan night.

"The magnitude of clip I've been here, to get to cognize immoderate of our fans truthful very personally and stock those moments pinch them, it's special. Even sharing flights, we're astir apt nan only nine who would bring nan fans on pinch us, they are portion of nan family and portion of nan ride.

"Wherever we go, we battalion nan wagon full. I deliberation nan fans admit being portion of it and it builds nan relationship pinch players and staff."

Another celebrated European nighttime for nan Crues came successful 2019 Europa League qualifying erstwhile they were drawn pinch Premier League giants Wolves, who were making their first European quality since 1980. It's nan first limb astatine Molineux that Baxter remembers most, arsenic his squad put successful a stunning protect show successful a 2-0 conclusion by Nuno Espirito Santo's broadside - pinch Ruben Vinagre's 2nd extremity only coming successful injury-time aft Diogo Jota, now of Liverpool, deed nan opener.

SB: "I could ne'er time off nan Wolves crippled out. Wolves could person sold nan crushed retired doubly and pinch 32,000 nan spot was filled to nan brim. It was rocking.

"They had superstar players and we went complete location connected nan hottest time of nan year. I thought we mightiness beryllium for illustration lambs to nan slaughter, but to springiness nan capacity we gave - to beryllium 1-0 down going into nan 93rd infinitesimal - and for Nuno Espirito Santo to opportunity to me, 'tactical masterclass, bravo!', will ever guidelines out.

"I thought we were brilliant. What a typical nighttime for nan convention and nan club."

The Irish League broadside really took nan lead successful nan reverse fixture astatine Seaview done Ryan Bennett's ain goal, but Raul Jimenez starred arsenic Wolves ran retired 4-1 winners successful Belfast.

SB: "Paul Heatley is still trying to declare nan extremity to this day. We really shook them that night. They knew they were successful for a crippled of shot that night, and we gave it to them for 15 minutes - until Raul Jimenez banged 2 goals successful and put america retired of our misery!

"It was a typical infinitesimal to play a Premier League squad astatine your ground. It's superb."