The new NIFL Premiership season kicked off last weekend and who better to speak to about the new season than Dr Grant Campbell of the Campbells Footballs podcast.
Grant has covered football in Northern Ireland for a number of years now and is well placed to cast an eye over the players and teams to watch in the season ahead.
Who are the players to watch across the NIFL Premiership this season?
“I think it would be a mistake not to pick Andy Ryan of Larne, especially now that Lee Bonis has gone to ADO Den Haag in the Netherlands. There’s a lot of emphasis on Andy Ryan to take on the mantle as the number nine at Larne and continue scoring at the same level and quantity as he has in the past. I believe he’s a big-game player with excellent movement. He’s very clinical in his finishing, and I think he’ll be a real leader at the top end of the pitch for Tiernan Lynch’s side. So, Andy Ryan is my Larne selection.
“For Linfield, there are quite a few players to choose from, but I’m going to go with Chris McKee. I think his goals will be invaluable for the Blues. He got off the mark against Ballymena at the weekend. Linfield have struggled to find a reliable number nine over the last few years. I think McKee comes close to fulfilling that role, and there’s a lot of pressure on him to score the goals needed to help Linfield reclaim the title from Larne because a third season without the title would be unthinkable for Linfield. So, Chris McKee is my pick for Linfield.
“For Cliftonville, the obvious choice is Rory Hale. He was a fantastic player last season and was a major reason why Cliftonville won the Irish Cup. With the loss of his brother, Ronan Hale, to Ross County and a few other players, like Ben Wilson to Airdrieonians, Rory Hale is going to have to step up again this season. An outside shout could be Ryan Curran, who has just come back from injury and scored the winner against Portadown at the weekend, but I’m going to stick with Rory Hale because he’s such a leader for the Reds, especially in the middle of the pitch. With Chris Curran announcing his retirement, I think the midfield will be crucial for Cliftonville this season.
“For my outside shouts, I believe Carrick Rangers are going to have a big season. The player I’m picking from this team is Danny Gibson. His goals were vital for Carrick Rangers last season, and I think he’ll be their main talisman again this season. He will be invaluable to Stuart King, especially if they are aiming to break into the top six or make a deep run in one of the cups, whether it be the County Antrim Shield, the League Cup, or the Irish Cup itself. Right now, I consider him to be one of the top four or five strikers in the NIFL Premiership. So, Danny Gibson is my pick for Carrick Rangers.
“For my final selection, there have been a few good signings this summer, including at Portadown and other clubs. I’m going to go with a player from Portadown who I think is set for a big season: goalkeeper Aaron McCarey. It’s a big season for him after moving from Glentoran to Portadown, pretty much joining Glentoran’s bitter rivals. I think he’s going to have a big season. He already made that penalty save from Ryan Curran at the weekend. Portadown is expected to be in a battle for survival this season, so McCarey will be a busy goalkeeper, trying to help them preserve their status in the top flight. I believe he’s been a good signing for Niall Currie, and it will be interesting to see how he performs.”
How would you describe football in Northern Ireland to someone who has not watched it before?
“Full of drama, full of surprises, and never a dull moment—those are the three things I would take away. There’s always an incident or two at a game, whether it’s on the pitch itself or something happening with the fans, in a good way, of course. There’s a good bit of banter between sets of supporters, refereeing decisions, superb goals, and incredible mistakes, like we saw with Glentoran and Crusaders on Friday night. Never a dull moment.
“It’s a league that consistently delivers extraordinary moments, like we saw in the League Cup and the Irish Cup final last year with Ronan Hale’s winner. We see spectacular goals—yeah, just incredible. So, “never a dull moment” is what I would say to anyone coming to watch this league because you just don’t know what you’re going to get.”
What attracted you to football in Northern Ireland?
“What attracted me were its comparisons with Scottish football: passionate fans, hard tackling, real desire, and determination from every single player, fan, and manager.
“It feels personal, and that’s the key word—personal. It feels personal to the fans. It’s on their doorstep. It’s part of their heritage. It’s part of their domestic football culture, or, to use Northern Irish football terminology, local football.
“What really attracts me to it are the stories of certain players. They may have come from nowhere, whether they’ve been in the league or not. Some have come up through the ranks at clubs while holding part-time jobs, and others have entered the league after crossing the water from England or Scotland. There are even those who have come from abroad, like we’ve seen with Glentoran in the past with players from the Netherlands or connections from Iran.
“This season especially, I think it’s full of identity and certainly never dull. So, that’s what attracted me.”
What are your predictions for the season ahead in the NIFL Premiership?
“I do think it is going to be very close at the top between Larne and Linfield, as always. I see it being a two-horse race for the title. I think Larne have to start as favourites because of their success over the last two seasons.
“But how much will the loss of Lee Bonis affect Tiernan Lynch’s side? They’re so strong at home, so good in the big matches, so good defensively. That’s why I put them as favourites.
“But with Linfield, you can never rule them out, especially with David Healy, who has a winning mentality. He’s got some great, steely players on his side, like Chris Shields and Jamie Mulgrew, who have been there, seen it, and done it.
“Linfield will be close, but I’m going to edge the title to Larne for a third one in a row under Tiernan Lynch. For Europe, I think Cliftonville will finish third again, but I don’t think they’ll be as close.
“After that, I see an extraordinary battle for fourth place. I’ve been really impressed with Carrick Rangers’ transfer business. Whether they’re going to get into the top six, I don’t know. Glentoran and Crusaders are going through a transitional period, particularly Crusaders with Declan Caddell in charge.
“But also Glentoran, with Declan Devine taking permanent charge at the Oval and with a brand new squad of players, pretty much.
“So it will take the Glens and the Crues time to get up and running. And I think clubs like Carrick Rangers could potentially take advantage early on. Whether they sustain that, I don’t know. Don’t forget about Coleraine under Dean Shiels either.
“So, we could see a great scrap not just for Europe, but for the top six in general. Down at the bottom, I sadly think Glenavon could finish bottom this season. They’re a good club with great fans. I’ve interviewed some great players for my podcast in the past.
“But I think the Lurgan Blues are going to find it tough this season under Stephen McDonnell. I think Loughgall might experience second-season syndrome. They were brilliant last season under Dean Smith, but if they were to lose Benji Magee, I think they could really struggle at the bottom end of the table.
“Ballymena survived the playoff last season. I expect Jim Ervin’s team to be better, but I still think they could be down there. And naturally, I think Portadown, promoted from the Championship last season, will do well to stay up.
“I think they will stay up, but it will take them some time to get going. And naturally, I think Portadown will be down there as well, along with Dungannon Swifts.
“I think Dungannon can have a big season under Rodney McAree, but again, their naivety could potentially cost them. However, they have a very exciting squad, and Rod’s a very good coach. So, keep an eye on Dungannon as my surprise package for the season.”
The featured image in this article is courtesy of NIFL.
Callum McFadden 