Former Linfield star praises 'remarkable' David Healy and 'would love' to come up against old club as Premiership manager

Feeney has insight into the winning mentality required to compete at the top-end of Irish League divisions having won the Premier Intermediate League title with the Seasiders before narrowly missing out on Premiership promotion last term.

He once again has Bangor fighting at the Championship’s summit this season, heading into the split with an eight-point advantage over H&W Welders and Limavady United as they look to secure top-flight status, while Feeney’s side also have an Irish Cup semi-final against Dungannon Swifts to embrace this weekend.

Having enjoyed two different spells with Linfield either side of a stint at Scottish giants Rangers, Feeney is aware of the unique pressure which working at Windsor Park brings, but he has an even greater appreciation for Healy’s success given his own experience of chasing silverware in the dugout over recent years.

“Linfield have been fantastic,” said Feeney. “The job David has done there is remarkable...we speak about pressure, the pressure he's under every week, I spoke to him recently and said 'I don't know how you do it'.

"I've been in the Bangor job for four seasons and we've been involved in promotion or title runs every season – it takes its toll and mentally drains you. The players don't get rest from the pressure.

"You see these teams that can go in or out of seasons and if they win or lose it's no big deal, but Healy has had that pressure every year he has been there. It's remarkable what the man has done."

Feeney will hope to celebrate his five-year anniversary as Bangor boss this summer by sealing their Premiership return for the first time since 2009 and only six years after they were playing in the Ballymena & Provincial League.

The 47-year-old has a strong desire to test himself at the highest level against the likes of Healy, but isn’t letting his thoughts drift towards that prospect just yet with crucial matches ahead over the next month.

"I would love to - it's always something I've wanted to do (manage against Linfield),” he added. “I want to manage against the best but we've so much work to do before we can even think about that.

"That's one of the incentives to get into the Premiership to do that."