Niall Currie admits winning Championship title with hometown club Portadown is 'dream come true'

Currie has mastered the art of success at the second-tier level, now winning the league crown on five occasions and adding to previous glory over the years with Loughgall, Ards and Carrick Rangers, but this is undoubtedly the sweetest of all for the boyhood Ports fan.

With one eye on Institute’s clash against Bangor, Ryan Mayse put the hosts ahead in County Armagh with a fine second-half finish before former Portadown striker Jordan Jenkins netted his 21st league goal of the season to create a tense ending.

Combined with their two title rivals ultimately drawing at the Brandywell, the point was enough to get Portadown over the line and book their immediate Premiership return – a division where Currie believes his club belong.

"You can see what it means to everybody,” he said. “The crowd were unbelievable and it's a really special day...it's great to have the club back where it belongs.

"It has been a long hard season but we got there in the end. It's a dream come true for me, but I can't do anything without the people around me and the staff I have and everybody who supported me...that was the longest season of my life let me tell you without a doubt.

"The injuries that we've had have been unbelievable but we've came through it and we've proven some people wrong. I love proving people wrong and that's what we've done.

"This achievement tops it all because this is my hometown club, but success wise I still look at keeping Carrick Rangers in the Premiership for three-and-a-half years on a shoestring budget as managing at the highest.

“I don't believe I'm a Championship manager...I know I've won five leagues but I'm really excited by getting back to the Premiership and locking horns with the big boys again."

Portadown were 10 points behind leaders Dundela at one stage this season and suffered a sticky patch around Christmas, but composed themselves superbly for the crucial run-in, only losing two of the last 16 matches to claw back the deficit in fine fashion.

"The season was huge,” added Currie. “We had a lot of bad injuries and struggled at parts, but ultimately it takes character and the players deserve all the credit because they're the ones that stepped out onto the pitch and turned things around - we're only there to help.

"It's a wonderful day for the club and you can see that it's a party atmosphere and I'm going to be joining in with them very soon!

"This is a Premiership club. I think NIFL will be glad to see this club back and so will the Premiership clubs...we're going to have a great night and the club deserve everything."