Injured Taggart to miss start of season?

United’s players reported back for pre-season training last night (Monday) - but missing from the action was midfielder Gavin Taggart, who looks likely to miss the start of the new campaign. Taggart broke his arm in a match at Donegal Celtic near the end of last season and is still troubled by the injury. “It appears that Gavin may have sustained some nerve damage,” manager Roy Walker told Times Sport. “He is due to go back to have it looked at in July but he has been ordered not to do anything in the meantime, which is a blow for him and us.” “I will be looking this week to determine the areas which we need to strengthen after the changes that have taken place over the last few weeks, such as Michael Smith leaving for Bristol Rovers,” said Walker, who also aims to appoint a new reserve team manager in the near future. Walker will run his eye over a number of triallists in a friendly match against neighbours Wakehurst on the 3G pitch at the Showgrounds this Saturday (kick-off 11am). Meanwhile, the manager is hoping his side can make a flying start to the new Carling Premiership campaign, the fixtures for which were announced last week. “It’s a bit of a different start for us to recent seasons in that we have usually had at least one of the ‘Big Two’ or one of the sides in the upper echelons in our opening games. “But for now, we will be focusing on our first game, against Lisburn Distillery,” added Walker. United’s full league fixture list until the ‘split’ in March reads: August 6 – Lisburn Distillery (a); August 13 – Glenavon (h); August 20 – Crusaders (h); August 27 – Donegal Celtic (a); August 30 – Carrick Rangers (h). September 3 – Linfield (h); September 10 – Cliftonville (a); September 17 – Coleraine (h); September 24 – Glentoran (a). October 1 – Dungannon Swifts (h); October 8 – Portadown (h); October 15 – Crusaders (a); October 22 – Carrick Rangers (a); October 29 – Lisburn Distillery (h). November 5 – Coleraine (a); November 12 – Portadown (a); November 19 – Cliftonville (h); November 26 – Donegal Celtic (h). December 3 – Linfield (a); December 10 – Glenavon (a); December 17 – Glentoran (h); Tuesday, December 20 – Dungannon Swifts (a); Monday, December 26 – Coleraine (a). Monday, January 2 – Donegal Celtic (h); January 7 – Linfield (h); January 21 – Crusaders (a); January 28 – Portadown (h); February 4 – Cliftonville (h); February 18 – Carrick Rangers (a); February 25 – Glenavon (a); March 10 – Lisburn Distillery (h); March 17 – Dungannon Swifts (h); March 24 – Glentoran (a). * Ballymena United’s AGM will be held tonight (Tuesday) at 7.30pm in the Des Allen Suite. This meeting is only open to shareholders.