Niall Currie makes shock return as Portadown manager

Portadown-born Currie spent 14 months in charge previously, taking over in December 2016 with the club bottom of the Premiership.

Now he is back in the hot-seat of his hometown club for a second spell following swift action by Portadown’s Board of Directors in the aftermath of Paul Doolin’s exit on Tuesday ‘by mutual consent’.

"I’m delighted to be back at the club, leaving Dundela was a massively hard thing to do with where we have the club now,” said Currie in an official Portadown statement. “But for me, it’s unfinished with my hometown club and I will do everything I can to keep this club in the Premiership.”

Currie will bring backroom staff Clifford Adams and John McAllister to Portadown from Dundela. Currie offered Championship-based Dundela thanks “for their co-operation during this process and the professionalism they showed throughout”.

Portadown’s statement also confirmed news “regarding other backroom staff will be announced in due course”.

The Ports sit on just a single point from the opening 11 games in the current campaign, having avoided relegation last season thanks to play-off success over Annagh United following Doolin’s arrival in January as a replacement for Matthew Tipton.

Currie’s first spell as Ports boss arrived at a period in club history which featured a 12-point deduction, fines and transfer embargo imposed by the Irish Football Association around a number of financial issues.

That time at Portadown finished with the club sitting fifth in the Championship table.

The former Annagh United, Loughgall and Ards boss went on to rebuild his reputation by securing top-flight promotion with Carrick Rangers and steering Dundela off the bottom of the Championship alongside some eye-catching performances against senior opponents.

It is understood Currie was considered a favourite given his Irish League experience, town connections and overall track record.

Portadown visit Coleraine on Saturday.