BALLYMENA United have finally completed the signing of former Northern Ireland international, Peter Kennedy, on a one-year deal at Showgrounds.

Kennedy, 34, spent the last two seasons with Portadown after returning home after spending nearly a decade playing professional football in England, which included a spell in the English Premier League and 20 caps for his country.

He began his career with Glenavon in the mid-nineties and also had a short but successful spell at Portadown before getting his chance to move across the water in 1996 when he joined Notts County for £100,000.

A year later he moved to Watford for a similar fee, and was instrumental in the Vicarage Road club earning back-to-back promotions which gained them a place in the English Premier League.

It was at Watford he broke into the Northern Ireland side under Lawrie McMenemy, and retained his place after Sammy McIlroy took over, he won his final cap in 2004.

After four years with the Hornets, he moved to Wigan Athletic for £300,000 in 2001. He also had a spell on loan at Derby County, and spent his final two years in England with Peterborough United.

Kennedy has spent pre-season with the Sky Blues and performed well in his two outings against Raceview and Portstewart, respectively.

Speaking to the Newsletter, manager Roy Walker was pleased with his new signing; "I am delighted to get Peter on board,

"I feel he has a lot to offer Ballymena United. His ability and experience will be invaluable and he still retains a high level of fitness.

"Also, it isn’t every day you get the chance to sign a former Northern Ireland international, so he ticks all the right boxes.

"He has impressed both on and off the pitch this summer."

Peter has been given the number 25 squad number for the new season, and was due to take a place on the bench for Saturday’s tie with Lisburn Distillery, before the game was postponed due to the weather.