Darren Mullen drawing on inspiration for Newry's senior return

When it comes to taking on the big boys, there is no such thing as a small gain...

Mullen's traditional pre-season programme of transfers, training and tactics has been supplemented by some special moments.

An exhibition match featuring Liverpool Legends against a Newry select offered Mullen the opportunity to spend time in the company of the highly-decorated and highly-regarded Kennedy.

A Newry-hosted film festival celebrating football on the big screen included a documentary on Clough, one of the game's great outside-the-box thinkers, with McParland a special guest for the showcase.

A long-time exponent of searching for an edge beyond the boundaries of his own sport, Mullen enjoys reading sports psychology books and studying elite athletes such as Brady or basketball great Michael Jordan.

"When you see how humble someone like Alan Kennedy was after that exhibition game, a man with so many medals but so generous with his time...it can only show you the right example," said Mullen. "It was the same chatting to Peter McParland during the Kick Off film festival, a legend of Northern Ireland's 1958 World Cup campaign but willing to just sit and swap stories and chat about football with everyone.

"You can never meet too many good football people and you can never pass up an opportunity to learn something.

"I also enjoy reading and learning about figures in other sports and how they handle everything...I love watching sports docs like The Last Dance (basketball) and recently watched one on Tom Brady (American football).

"Psychology plays such a big part in sport now, it's about the person not just getting the player fit and talking tactics.

"Getting promoted back up to the Premiership means we face a massive and tough season, so you look for any chance to gain any small advantage or piece of knowledge.

"We operate with a small pool of players and it comes down to trying to maximise that potential...so it's great if you can apply a snippet of something from somewhere or someone else, even outside of football."

Mullen, of course, will also draw on experience from closer to home in pursuit of senior survival given the memories - and lessons - from the club's previous Premiership campaign of 2018/19 remain fresh.

"Last time we came into the Premiership we had that sense of euphoria after such an unbelievable journey," said Mullen. "This time we've been through that sense of newness and with some Premiership experience under our belts, plus some encouraging results and performances as a Championship club against senior teams.

"I look at the squad and feel this time around we offer much more pace and youth in attack.

"We don't have a big budget and this has been as testing a transfer window as I remember so we have to go about things in a certain way.

"We will be going up against teams with more depth of talent so it comes down to out-working the opposition.

"You cannot put your head in your hands and moan about the finances or anything...you must embrace the advantage.

"This is what we've been working so long and hard towards, to be back in Irish League top-flight football is a brilliant opportunity for everyone at the club.

"We cannot go in fearful, we've worked hard to reach this point so must attack it aiming to rattle a few cages.

"People come in quickly and see they've joined a really good club full of really good people.

"Our crowds have been terrific in the past, with the Newry community really getting behind the club.

"The ultimate goal is to become established in the Premiership - that brings all sorts of benefits in terms of sponsorship opportunities and player recruitment.

"But we never look too far ahead and, for now, it's about being ready for this season and that first game."