Lee Chapman: Playing for Portadown has helped me enjoy my football once again

The Ports’ promotion push has been put on hold over recent times with last weekend’s Irish Cup quarter-final defeat to Cliftonville followed up by Sunday’s BetMcLean Cup final date against holders Linfield.

While Niall Currie’s side have enjoyed tremendous cup success – a 2-0 loss to the Reds was only their first shortcoming in 11 matches across cup competitions this term – a spot back amongst the country’s elite remains their main priority.

Chapman, who was named Championship Player of the Month for January, has been one of Portadown’s star players throughout the campaign where they currently sit fourth, seven points behind current leaders Dundela, who the 29-year-old joined from in January 2023.

That was preceded by a difficult season in the top-flight with Ballymena United for the ex-Glentoran youth product and he admits getting back to that level is a big goal for the whole squad.

"It has been good to get back into enjoying football,” he reflected on his form this season. "I had a year at Ballymena which didn't go as well as I had planned and coming from that, I didn't fall out of love with football, but I lost a bit of that spark and joy.

"I don't think a lot of people understand that when you're working full-time and playing football, it's meant to be your escape, enjoyment and release, so when it's not going well it can be even more of a dampener on everything else.

"To get back playing well, hitting a bit of form and enjoying myself has been really good and a long time coming.

"I think we all want to play at the highest level we can and be playing against big teams like Linfield and the biggest teams in the country. It's always the aim to be playing as high as possible and competing for things."

March is undoubtedly Portadown’s biggest month of the season to date with this weekend’s showpiece decider followed by crucial league matches against fellow title contenders Institute and Bangor either side of a trip to Ards before the split.

"It (promotion) was the main aim from the start of the season,” added Chapman. "There are three or four teams there on similar points all going for it so it's all still to play for.

"Points will be dropped but a team like Portadown needs to be playing in the Premiership against big teams like Linfield week in, week out."

This season marks just the third time a Championship side have made it to the League Cup final – the Ports won the competition as a second-tier team in 2009 while current boss Currie brought Ards to this stage in 2016.

Portadown will be considered heavy underdogs against the Blues on home turf, but Chapman wants to give their faithful fans a day to remember.

"We won the Mid-Ulster Cup in January which was big for the club and this is even bigger,” he said. "If we do manage to do it - although Linfield are obviously heavy favourites - it would be great.

"The fans are getting a day out to enjoy themselves and I'm sure the people with the drums will be there cheering us on every step of the way. All we can do is prepare the best we can, give the best account of ourselves and hope for a little bit of luck."