'I'm proud as punch to be the manager' - Jim Ervin thanks Ballymena United fans for sticking by his side as Sky Blues preserve Premiership status

Championship side ‘Stute held a 1-0 advantage heading into Friday night’s reverse tie and kept the hosts at bay for 78 minutes until Stevie McCullough’s pinpoint free-kick following Oisin Devlin’s sending off and a late Calvin McCurry strike turned it around.

It was a difficult first season in management for ex-Linfield defender Ervin, who had to deal with losing an array of key players last summer and Ballymena went on to win just eight of their 38 league matches, scoring only 29 goals in the process, while recording a lowest top-flight finish since the league returned to a 12-team division in 2008/09.

However, Ervin has achieved his main goal of keeping the County Antrim outfit up and hailed the supporters’ impact in helping get his men over the line.

"There's probably a lot of relief,” he told the club’s media channel. “The football club when I came in was in a really difficult position and I've never said anything all season because I'm not one to make excuses.

"The boys dug in when we really needed to. The football club was in a really tough place financially and we've had to make a lot of big decisions - some we didn't want to make but financially had to in order for the club to be sustainable.

"My job when I came in was to remain in the league and granted it's not how we wanted to do it, but we've done it. This year has been a big learning curve for me.

"I've been questioned and supporters are right to question when things aren't going well, but I had full belief in myself, my backroom staff and the players. They've given me everything...the effort, commitment and determination has always been there and that's all I can ask of my players.

"From all my time at Ballymena, I've never seen the car park like it. When the boys are out warming up I go into the physio room and sit and reflect and think about the game. I looked at the car park a few times and I could see the queues down the street and I haven't seen the Showgrounds like that - the atmosphere was fantastic.

"At difficult times in the match we needed supporters to pull us through and they did that - I'm pleased as punch for them. Thank you to the supporters...your backing from start to finish has been tremendous.

"This is a massive football club and it would have been disastrous for us to go down. I'm pleased for the town, club and the board have been fantastic since I came in."

This pre-season will be a crucial one for Ballymena as they look to make moves that will avoid them fighting for safety once again next term.

"Now we'll enjoy a break because it has been a long, hard season and I just got into the office there and told my staff 'the work starts now' for next season because this job doesn't stop and we want to keep improving the football club, but there's going to have to be a lot of changes and help to make sure we're not in that position,” added Ervin. “I'm proud as punch to be the manager of Ballymena United and I can't wait for next season."