Portadown manager Niall Currie feels his squad deserves “unbelievable credit” for preserving Premiership status – saying “I've never seen a season like” the current campaign.

Following Tuesday’s 1-1 draw against Carrick Rangers, Portadown are mathematically guaranteed to be plying their trade in Northern Ireland’s top-flight for a third consecutive season in 2026/27, but were never involved in a relegation scrap with Crusaders and Glenavon battling it out.

Currie has had to contend with injuries to a host of key players this term – goalkeeper Aaron McCarey has been out since January and underwent knee surgery, captain Gary Thompson missed three months in 2026 and Josh Ukek has been limited to 20 league appearances.

Shay McCartan has played just 15 times in the Premiership this term and summer recruit Ray Tulloch has featured in 11 matches.

placeholder image — Portadown manager Niall Currie. (Photo by Alan Weir/Pacemaker Press)

After suffering relegation in 2023, Currie masterminded Portadown’s top-flight return the following season and has once again established one of Northern Ireland’s biggest clubs as a top-flight outfit.

"The players deserve unbelievable credit,” Currie told the club’s media channel. “The amount of injuries we have had this season, the amount of trials and tribulations we've had, I've never seen a season like it.

"I've never seen a season where you lose your goalkeeper for three-and-a-half months, your skipper for three months, Shay McCartan for four months, Ray Tulloch basically the season, Ahu Obhakhan basically a season, Josh Ukek for four or five months, Raby Tabu (Minzamba) - we have lost some huge, huge hitters here for a season.

"The players that have come in and the squad has done fantastically well, I'm very proud of them.

"Stabilising this club when I came back was my main mantra. It has been a long three years...in the three years I'm here I think I have aged 10!

"It's worth it to me. I'm a very proud man, when I came back to the club I said we needed to keep it in the Premiership for a few seasons and I've done that now, maybe I'll ride into the sunset soon enough.

"I am very proud of the players, they have showed tremendous character against a lot of really tough things.

"As a manager, you're always relieved to get it done mathematically. We've been comfortable, we haven't been looking down or stressing about relegation battles at any stage.

"We're over the moon and it's wonderful to know this club is going to be in the Premiership for another season. The job only starts now."

Portadown will finish off their Premiership campaign with three away trips, starting with Saturday’s clash against bottom club Crusaders.

Currie’s men trail seventh-placed Carrick Rangers by nine points but their goal difference gap of 24 means Stephen Baxter’s side have almost certainly sealed the final European play-off position.

Portadown have been hit with another injury blow ahead of their Seaview visit with Luke Wilson, who limped off after 23 minutes on Tuesday night, set to miss the rest of this season.

Currie added: “Luke felt a pop in his groin so I would say he is probably out for the season.”