Rodney McAree has full faith Dungannon Swifts can continue the club’s golden period – but insists expectation levels can’t get out of control “because we still are who we are”.

The Co Tyrone club have recorded consecutive top-half Premiership finishes, ending the last two campaigns in fourth and sixth respectively, and have reached back-to-back Irish Cup finals, including lifting the famous trophy for a first time in 2025.

Prior to McAree masterminding Dungannon’s surge up the table following a return to his boyhood club from Glentoran, the Swifts hadn’t finished above eighth since 2009/10 – and even sat bottom in 2020/21 with survival secured only due to the fact there was no relegation.

A welcome financial windfall brought through progressing to the Conference League’s second qualifying round after winning the Irish Cup helped boost resources, but Dungannon still likely operate on one of the Premiership’s lowest budgets.

placeholder image — Dungannon Swifts manager Rodney McAree. (Photo by David Maginnis/Pacemaker Press)

In an ever-changing Irish League landscape, McAree watched former club Glenavon fall into Northern Ireland’s second-tier for a first time in over 20 years last season – and knows nothing can be taken for granted.

"We are (delighted with recent success) and probably worried that expectation levels get a bit out of control, because we still are who we are,” said McAree. “But it's been brilliant.

"Last season was a wee bit disappointing that you don't come out of it with a little bit more.

"We get to the final of an Irish Cup, we get to the final of a European play-off, but we just don't have anything to show in the end, but it's been fantastic.

"The first season we came back we finished eighth – if somebody told you that you were finishing eighth every season, you'd be more than happy with that.

"We have to challenge ourselves. It's not easy, it's never easy. You look at Glenavon last season, how quickly it can turn and go the other way.

"We lost the first five games last season, Glenavon lost the first five, and we played each other in the sixth game.

"If we had been the one that came out on the losing end of that, you maybe would have feared for yourself, but getting three points that day maybe helped us get ourselves going a little bit.”

McAree has managed to retain a large majority of talent which has helped them reach new heights – and also added Jamie Glackin, Kris Lowe, Barney McKeown and Michael McElhatton to his ranks this summer.

Dungannon will be battling to make it a top-half hat-trick this term and McAree insists there's no reason why they can’t repeat the feat.

"I always feel as if we have the capabilities of competing,” he added. “The only reason we belong here is if we continue to work and put as much effort in as we have over the past three seasons.

"There's belief within the changing room. I think when we've got certain players within the changing room with experience that they have, I don't see any reason why we can't challenge ourselves and target something similar again.

"I believe there's a squad of players that are capable, so if they put the effort in, put the hard work in and continue to push each other and push the standards, I believe they can achieve things again.”