Paul Doolin's focus shift from firefighting to foundations

Having been appointed in January with the short-term remit to mount a relegation rescue mission, Doolin managed to protect the club from the bottom spot in the standings then come out on top over a two-leg play-off against near-neighbours Annagh United.

Annagh stand separated by just a few miles from Portadown geographically but faced with a significant gap when measured against the four-time Irish League champions in terms of history and resources.

The prospect of taking the Shamrock Park club's senior spot was a major talking point around the town for weeks leading up to the May play-off.

In the end, Doolin managed to steer his Ports past the derby hurdle and preserve top-flight football.

Bolstered by the reward of a two-year contract, Doolin entered this summer switching focus from the firefighting of previous months to rebuilding the foundations.

"When I started in January, first and foremost, the brief was to keep Portadown in the Premiership," said Doolin. "By hook or by crook it was about finding a way and I'm just delighted we managed to do that, even if it came via the promotion/relegation play-off.

"When it came to sitting down with the Board of Directors, we were on the same lines really about moving the club forward and the reality of where things stand.

"When I first arrived I didn't make any demands about the future, the situation was viewed by some as virtually impossible and not everyone would even have taken the job on.

"My only focus was on achieving that safety goal.

"After all of the work put in by everyone to keep the club in the Premiership, it didn't make sense to hand that over to anyone else and I'm delighted to be staying.

"I've signed a two-year contract and now the work is about helping the club progress on and off the pitch.

"We are well aware it's about operating within certain limitations and that's fine.

"It's about building on the positives in place and getting into a position where we are not fighting relegation.

"It's about trying to improve and that comes by bringing in better players and continuing the work with those still at the club."

The Doolin name is elevated and celebrated by a certain generation for his contribution as a player to the 1990s golden era which still so often conversation turns to once a few post-match pints deep around the Portadown bars.

There is an inevitable extension of goodwill thanks to those previous achievements on the pitch - and now the success of saving the club from relegation as manager.

But Doolin accepts and embraces the fact that forward momentum must take precedence over past reflection.

"We all have a responsibility to the club...we've been entrusted to get results on the pitch," he said. "When I arrived in January I had no experience of coaching or management in the Irish League but have those few months behind me now to help build on.

"It's about players, either those on the books or who we bring in, who have that desire to be at Portadown.

"We are still a big club, capable of attracting players.

"We want to continue on the positive work done in games and training to get better and better.

"Coming into the club, it was about going from match to match, training session to training session, all towards getting those results we needed.

"We've work to do, it's about bringing in players with the right character...the full package.

"Across my career as a player or manager I've been operating, in the main, at the right end of the table.

"I certainly didn't want to be the one to have Portadown's relegation on my record.

"But we know we have to do better, make the necessary sacrifices and do what's required to improve on and off the field.

"That's my job, the job of the coaching team and the players.

"We have to deliver to the supporters as they are the fabric of the club and everyone must work together to push Portadown up the table."