Former manager hails Lee Bonis as 'all-round package' and has no doubt Irish League ace could thrive in England after reaching Larne milestone

The 24-year-old, who Tipton brought back to Portadown from Seagoe in 2019 before he departed Shamrock Park for a reported £100,000 fee two-and-a-half years later, celebrated his 50th Inver Reds goal in their recent 3-0 Premiership victory over Glentoran and added another two to his tally last weekend as Tiernan Lynch’s side progressed to the Irish Cup semi-finals.

It’s not just Bonis’ goal return that has been so impressive, but also his ability to provide for teammates as the striker contributed nine Premiership assists throughout the calendar year of 2023 with only Linfield’s Joel Cooper (27) able to boast a higher number of league goal contributions than his 25 in 37 matches.

That contribution helped fire Larne to their first-ever Gibson Cup crown last season and Bonis has led from the front once again this term as Lynch’s men target a treble of silverware success with a fourth consecutive County Antrim Shield already safely stored at Inver Park.

"He is the all-round package,” said Tipton. “When you look at his goals, not only with us but for Larne, he scores really important goals.

"He often gets the breakthrough goal or late winners. In tight games you see him scoring goals and for me that's the type of centre-forward you want. There are people that have scored more than him, but have they scored more important goals?

"Last Friday I was watching the game against Glentoran and it came up that he was on 48 goals - there was no doubt in my mind that he was going to score two.

"He's a brilliant partner for Andy Ryan or Paul O'Neill because he takes the hits, wins the headers and does a lot of the running. He has a little bit of everything."

It’s the same qualities which compelled Tipton to sign Bonis – pace, power and hunger to name just a few – that has helped the forward establish himself as one of the country’s finest and his former manager had no doubt he’d make the step up seamlessly.

"We watched him play in a game and knew he had something different...he was energetic, quick and he had a work rate in him,” he reflected on signing Bonis. “Once he got into the team it was very hard to leave him out – he was superb from start to finish.

"He has done really well at Larne. I've watched him a good few times and his desire was always going to help him. Whatever got thrown at him during his time with us he always embraced because he had that desire to improve.

"There was never any doubt that when he got into that full-time environment that he would embrace it and kick on. Knowing Lee as I do, the fee wouldn't have bothered him because he didn't set the price tag and he didn't pay it - all he had to do was go and perform.

"In his mind he was going to a better team, a full-time team and a place where he was going to thrive.”

Bonis’ exploits last term – which secured a maiden Northern Ireland call-up – resulted in him being linked with a host of clubs across the English Football League pyramid as Portsmouth, Derby County and Bolton Wanderers all reportedly showed interest in his services.

Still only 24, Tipton believes he could make the grade across the water, but also knows playing European football with Larne would help bring his game to another level too.

"There’s no doubt in my mind (he would do well in England),” said Tipton, who played for the likes of Oldham Athletic and Macclesfield Town. “He's still young...he's settled and doing well at Larne and I'm guessing the thought of playing European football appeals.

"If he moves to England he could play in League One or the bottom end of the Championship so financially he would be better off, but if he goes to the Championship he mightn't be scoring as many goals and at the top of League One he should be scoring plenty.

"I'm guessing if he gets the move it would be for international recognition because Michael (O’Neill) has came out on record to say he wants his players playing in that environment.

"The other side of it though is if he's playing in Europe, which is a target for Larne, surely you'd be as well off playing at that level?

"He can do it there's no doubt, but there's more to it than just ability and he has to weigh up if it's the right move for him."