Dixie Robinson admits Dungannon Swifts’ recent success has made the club an “easier sell” to new players – and also helped them keep hold of their top talent.

The Swifts have their sights set on recording a third consecutive top-half Premiership finish this season – and are certainly going the right way about achieving that goal after winning three of their opening four matches.

Rodney McAree’s men were beaten 3-1 on the opening day by title favourites Coleraine but have since defeated Portadown, Bangor and Cliftonville.

This term’s rapid start is in stark contrast to last season when Dungannon lost each of their opening five matches before still managing to find a way into the coveted top-six.

placeholder image — Dungannon Swifts assistant Dixie Robinson (left) with manager Rodney McAree. (Photo by David Maginnis/Pacemaker Press)

The transfer window slammed shut on Tuesday night with the Swifts holding onto their key players, including talisman Sean McAllister, who has already registered three goals.

Dungannon were also able to land the likes of Jamie Glackin from Coleraine and Glenavon captain Barney McKeown alongside sealing the key return of ex-Glentoran striker Junior.

Swifts assistant Robinson admits a golden period of success has helped make player negotiations easier, but knows nothing can be taken for granted in the Premiership as they prepare for Saturday’s trip to Limavady United.

"You used to look at the league and think you could target three points but I think that's gone…you can take nobody for granted,” he said. “You have to be at it every week to try and get a win.

"I think the very word we use is ‘challenge’...with our cup runs over the past couple of seasons, we know that on any given day if we perform well we're capable of beating anybody in the league.

"Maybe we're greedy but you have to have a challenge and we're trying.

"We said at half-time (of the Cliftonville game) probably the Coleraine’s, the Linfield’s go and put that game to bed when it's 10 men – and we've got to try and be capable of doing that ourselves.

"At Dungannon we normally lose our best players, but I think we are (in a better position to keep players now).

"If you're in the top-half of the table, getting to two Irish Cup finals and winning one, I think players are looking at us in a different perspective than what it would have been five or 10 years ago.

“Nobody likes languishing down around the bottom of the table...it's an easier sell (to players) than it was."