MICHAEL Ward has ended his time with Ballymena United and rejoined former club Dungannon Swifts.

The transfer-listed forward suffered a particularly barren spell during his 18-months at the Warden Street Showgrounds scoring just 3 goals in 38 games for the Sky Blues.

Signed by former-manager Tommy Wright from Glentoran for an undisclosed fee in January last year, Ward failed to recreate the form that he had shown previously with Dungannon Swifts and Omagh Town earlier on in his career.

He becomes Dixie Robinson's first signing since taking over as manager of the Tyrone club, with Michael signing a two year deal at Stangmore Park.

Meanwhile Ballymena United have confirmed the signing of 24-year-old midfielder Gavin Taggart from Newington YC on a two year contract.

Taggart, formerly with Peterbrough United, is a central midfielder player who starred in the Northern Ireland Junior team last season alongside Michael Smith and Mark Surgenor and had been attracting interest from a number of other Premiership clubs.