TRANSFER-listed striker Darren Fitzgerald has left Ballymena United to rejoin former club Ards.

Former Rangers and Glentoran forward, Fitzgerald, joined the Sky Blues in January 2005 from Ards after the County Down side came into financial difficulty.

He started well at the Showgrounds scoring five goals in eleven games before suffering a career threatening cruciate knee ligament injury at Clandeboye Park in March 2005; this meant that he was to miss the whole of the 2005/06 season.

He returned to action in August 2006, but has struggled for form and fitness since scoring only six goals in the past two seasons, and he also spent a spell towards the end of last season on loan to Bangor.

Nicknamed 'Mucker' he ended up playing 52 times for the Braidmen and scored 11 goals. He had been placed on the transfer list by Roy Walker back in May.

He joined his new team-mates this week and scored on his debut in a friendly against Ards Rangers.

Meanwhile, in other transfer news, Limavady-based midfielder Stephen Lowry has been placed on the transfer list at his own request.

A member of the All-Ireland Universities team, Lowry moved to Warden Street in January 2007 in a swap deal with Austin Friel, but seems his first chances may be limited this season.

Aidan Watson, however, has signed a new two-year contract at the Showgrounds.