Striker who scored 52 goals in a season helps fire Loughgall to Championship title

Duke, who secured a move to Dundee United as a teenager after impressing at the likes of Portadown and Linfield, has been a reliable source of goals for Loughgall since joining in January, driving them over the line in their quest for Premiership promotion.

The 27-year-old was part of a Ports squad that achieved the same feat three years ago but since then the lethal forward has spent time with Dollingstown in the Premier Intermediate League before switching to Mid-Ulster Intermediate A outfit Banbridge Rangers ahead of the 2021/22 campaign.

He proved what he’s capable of by scoring 52 goals in 38 appearances in all competitions during his first season at Cheney Park and had netted another 18 this term before a familiar face came calling – Villagers boss Dean Smith.

Having lost top scorer Nedas Maciulaitis to Carrick Rangers, Smith needed someone to take on the pressure of leading the line in a promotion battle and Duke more than delivered, striking eight times in 15 Championship matches since arriving at Lakeview Park.

"I lost a bit of interest and sometimes you have to go down to go back up,” he said. “Banbridge Rangers definitely gave me the buzz again to play a higher level of football and they were very good to me.

"I just thought it was time - I'm getting a bit older now and I thought if I don't take the chance now I may never get it again. What an opportunity it was to join Loughgall and to help them win the league.

"It (my goals) gave a lot of people an eye opener of my ability and that I can live up to it. Sometimes you can't really judge it on the lower levels - you need to prove your point at a higher level.

"I scored 52 goals in Intermediate A and I knew I had to challenge myself even more and go to the Championship."

Smith knows Duke well having played with his father Gary – a former Loughgall star himself that helped them win the second-tier title in 1995/96, the same season Aaron was born – at Coagh United.

"He (Gary) was one of the ones that said 'take the opportunity',” he said. “He knows it's a great club having played there himself and I thought it would be an opportunity that might never come around again.

"The gaffer has been brilliant. I've known him since I was a kid.

"He put a lot of faith in me bringing me back up the leagues and I couldn't be happier.

"It was very easy. He phoned me and asked if we could meet, so we met at his house and it was about a five minute chat with him telling me he was interested and wanted me to sign and me saying let's get it done now!

"It was really as easy as that. There were no negotiations or anything - it was let's get this done now and win the league."

That family connection combined with the fact he was briefly at Loughgall upon his return from Scotland meant Duke was very aware of what success would mean to the village.

"I've absolutely loved it,” he said. “I knew almost all the boys having played with or against them and I find it to be a family-run club.

"From the coaching staff to Trevor Parke our kit man to the fans, they are all part of the team which is a big thing. There are a lot of family people around the club which made it easier for me.

"It's a weird one because I've been at the club for only three months but it feels like I've known them my whole life.

"It's a really well run family club and we're bringing guys down that have played Premiership before in Mark Patton, Ally Teggart, Mark Carson - they are coming in and feeling the same atmosphere. Without the fans the club doesn't run the same."

Promotion also offers Duke an opportunity to tick off one of his big career goals – play in the Premiership.

He was involved with Ronnie McFall’s Portadown squad as a teenager without getting the chance to play and was also part of their aforementioned title triumph in 2020, but Duke left for Dollingstown while the Shamrock Park club went to the top-tier.

"I was across the water when I was a kid but find that this is a tougher challenge,” he said. “It was easy to go across the water, try something and if it doesn't work out you can then just say 'it was across the water' but I find to sustain yourself in the Irish League even harder - fair play to the boys that do it week in, week out.

"I told the gaffer that this is something I really wanted and to be there with Loughgall would be an even bigger achievement for me and the club. It's something that I've been waiting a long time for and hopefully I can make a name for myself again."

Now that the title is sealed, attention will quickly turn to next season and Duke is confident that Loughgall can mix it with the country’s best teams.

"I wasn't there for part of the season but by all accounts we gave Glentoran a good run for their money even though they beat us 3-0,” he added. “We played Coleraine in the Irish Cup and they beat us 3-1.

"There's no reason why we can't compete. Yes we have a young squad but everybody is hungry and that's the main thing - hunger beats experience all day long."