Niall Currie believes Portadown “have the best keeper in the league” in Aaron McCarey and says the former Glentoran shot-stopper is helping drive standards both on and off the pitch.

McCarey, who started his career with Wolves before enjoying spells at the likes of Portsmouth, Ross County and Cliftonville, joined the Ports in May having left the Glens after three years at The Oval and was one of 14 players brought to Shamrock Park this summer.

The 32-year-old has been one of the standout stars for Portadown so far this season, kicking the new term off by saving Ryan Curran’s penalty during a narrow defeat to Cliftonville – he made seven saves that afternoon and registered another seven in last Friday’s dramatic 2-2 draw with Linfield.

According to Sofascore, only Blues duo Joel Cooper (8.66) and Kirk Millar (7.82) have a better average match rating so far than McCarey (7.78) while he has been named in their ‘Team of the Week’ in three of the opening five rounds of fixtures.

placeholder image — Portadown manager Niall Currie. PIC: David Maginnis/Pacemaker Press

Cliftonville’s David Odumosu (21 saves) is the only goalkeeper that has been called into action as much as McCarey (also 21) and Currie is confident he has the league’s best performer in his squad.

"We had a goalkeeper lined up and were on the verge of signing him, but then McCarey came out of the blue,” Currie said ahead of Saturday’s trip to Carrick Rangers. “There was talk about him retiring but I had contact with him and got him up here for a chat...thankfully we persuaded him.

"I think a goalkeeper's best years are 32-34. Certainly when I played when I was in my 30's I felt at my best with better decision-making, more experience, leadership, communication and you can still save shots.

"It was a massive, massive signing and an area of the pitch we were desperately looking to bring experience in. He has plenty left in the tank and I think we have the best keeper in the league - I wouldn't swap him for anyone else in this league.

"Not only is he a fantastic goalkeeper, but he's a fantastic character around the changing room, a winner and we need people like that. I've always said if you get the right people in the changing room it manages itself.

"If I have the right characters I don't need to say anything and we have some strong characters that aren't afraid to say their piece and I like that."

Portadown have picked up consecutive draws against Loughgall and Linfield, but are still searching for a first win since beginning life back in the Premiership.

Home form will likely be crucial to any success with Saturday’s clash at Carrick followed by four of the next six matches being staged at Shamrock Park against Dungannon Swifts, Coleraine, Ballymena United and Loughgall.

The County Armagh venue has been packed out with visits of Glentoran and the Blues and Currie hopes that’s a theme that can continue throughout the campaign.

"This is a huge club with a huge fanbase,” he added. “If we can get the performances right and show our supporters we have an honest team here who love wearing the jersey, I think we can get the club back and the fans back packing the ground out every game.

"I want this place packed out against Ballymena, Dungannon - we want to do that. The only way we can do that is to encourage them to come here and results like the draw against Linfield will encourage them."