Third time proves the charm for Niall Currie as new Portadown signing ready to embrace expectation at 'big club'

After unsuccessful attempts last January and in the summer for one reason or another, the talented 23-year-old has finally landed at Shamrock Park and is determined to play his part in guiding the County Armagh outfit back to the Premiership.

Henderson, who joined earlier this week from Bangor alongside Zach Barr, TJ Murray, Ciaran Dobbin and Jamie Browne, has previous experience of playing in the top-flight at Ballymena United after progressing through the ranks at Glentoran.

He also made an appearance in the 2021/22 Irish Cup final when the Sky Blues were heartbreakingly defeated 2-1 by Crusaders and could make his Ports debut in the same competition on Saturday when they travel to Carrick Rangers.

In a move that has felt like a long time coming, Henderson says it was an easy decision to make once Currie made his interest known once again.

"I didn't know about January until the summer when he gave me a ring at the end of the season to see what I was doing,” he said. “He knew I was out of contract and there were a lot of unknowns at Ballymena.

"It does give me a lot of confidence because if he didn't want me he wouldn't have wanted to keep coming in for me and everything has fallen into place at the right time.

"He's a brilliant man, very honest and he's already told me what he's expecting from me. It fills me full of confidence.

"It was a very easy decision. The fact that the deal couldn't get done in the summer for other circumstances, I knew that when I found out they were in for me again it would be an easy decision.

"I loved my time at Bangor and that's where I'm from, but Portadown is where I've wanted to be and now I've got the opportunity and everything has fallen into place, it's about getting in the team and starting fresh away to Carrick in the Irish Cup."

Henderson made his Glentoran league debut as a teenager in 2019, coming on as a late substitute during victory over Warrenpoint Town at The Oval, before spending a year in the American collegiate system at William Carey University in Mississippi.

He still maintains a Premiership dream and is confident that can be realised within a talented and experienced Portadown squad.

"Niall said when he approached me in the summer that we need to make sure this is a one season thing,” he added. “It's clear to see form the board and manager the ambition they have with the signings they've made that have played in the Premiership, won titles and it's a really exciting squad.

"I played 50 games in the Premiership and it's definitely somewhere that I want to get back to - hopefully it's next season.

"The gaffer has assembled a brilliant squad and everyone expects us to go up. We know we should be going up this season but you have to earn the right every game because every team when they play us it's like their cup final.

"We know we need to go up and that's the expectation of everyone around the club. We're in all the cup competitions still too so hopefully it turns out to be a successful season. The league is our bread and butter and getting back in the Premiership is our main objective."