'This is where we want to be': Paul Owens braced for 'tough days' but wants Limavady United to be competitive upon Premiership return
Paul Owens acknowledged that whilst avoiding relegation will mark a successful season for Limavady United - he wants to finish as high up the table as possible.
The Roesiders will return to the top table of Irish League football for the first time since 2008 when the action gets back under way in August after winning the Championship title last time out.
It now means United are set for visits to the likes of Linfield, Glentoran and Larne this season as they lock horns with the Premiership big-boys yet again.
Many outsiders will tip Limavady to drop back into the second-tier due to being the Premiership newcomers but Owens referenced how fellow promotion hopefuls in recent years have managed to avoid the drop.
He explained: "I gave my players a document which highlights how the last three promoted clubs (Portadown, Loughgall and Bangor) have managed to stay up in their first season.
"I know people will believe that we’ll go straight back down but I don’t believe that...although I do realise that we will need to improve the squad a bit more.
"The thought of going to places like Windsor Park, the Oval, Coleraine Showgrounds and trying to get a result really excites me.
"Staying in the Premiership would probably represent a good season but I didn’t enter a 12-team league to simply aim to finish 10th.
"The league now has four full-time teams, so that means 12 of our 33 fixtures will be against those outfits, but we don’t want to simply roll over and lose those comfortably.
"We realise that the league is going to be tough but I want to approach games with a mindset of winning.”
Owens admits that he will keep faith with many of his squad who have helped the club climb from the Premier Intermediate League back into the big time.
He further revealed how the Roesiders will train an extra night this season to cope with the increasing demands of the Premiership.
"I remember getting advice from someone at Linfield recently and they said simply it’s about signing good players,” Owens responded when asked about how they plan to stay in the division.
“I’ve had a lot of conversations with five or six Premiership managers...and I feel it’s in our best interests to an add an extra night’s training.
"For example, we probably had 60% possession in the Championship last season but that’ll now be 40% or so next season, so we need to increase our volume of work.
"We realise it’s going to be a massive step from the Championship to the top division. In the last three or four seasons since I left the Premiership, teams have got fitter and stronger and we are trying to do all we can to bridge that gap with the extra night’s training and analysis.
"I’ve said this a lot recently but I feel the young players at our disposal are learning fast. You know what you’re going to get with our experienced players like the Lowry brothers...but the young players really came to the party when we were closing in on the Championship title.
"It’s probably now an opportunity for them to grow at an improved standard but also with that understanding that success might look a bit different this season.
"Obviously we want to win every game we play...but we realise that won’t be the case and if results don’t go our way it’s about trying to get back on the horse as quick as we can and not fall into a slump.”
Owens has been quick to add to his squad by signing experienced campaigners Stephen O’Donnell, Aaron Jarvis and Danny Lafferty, who were all released by Ballymena United at the end of the season.
They have been joined by Sean Carlin (Glenavon) and Ronan Wilson (H&W Welders), whilst Leon Boyd has agreed a permanent switch at the north-west club after a successful loan period last time out from Dungannon Swifts.
"We are getting phone calls from agents all the time about players potentially joining,” Owens continued.
"The signings we have made are going to be good for the changing room with their experience and that’s going to be important for us as I know what we’re going to get both on and off the pitch.
"We are probably in the market for a different type of player due to finances elsewhere and one thing we have noticed is that Championship clubs are also very competitive when it comes to offering contracts.
"However, it was refreshing that those players were keen to come here and we would ideally like to add a couple more.
"There will be a lot of movement across the league over the next few months but we will only be bringing players in here if it’s right for the club and for the right reasons.
"I know I’m probably a bit biased here but I look at the facilities here and what we are trying to do as an attractive offer for those we are interested in.”
Limavady had to ground share with Coleraine in the second half of last season as a new playing surface was laid at their home ground.
So, how is Owens feeling ahead of welcoming the big guns to their Showgrounds home this term?
He answered: “It is going to be brilliant.
"I think we have to build a temporary stand and we will be extending our bar to deal with the increasing crowds.
"This is where the club wanted to be and whilst there’s going to be tough days on the pitch with results at times, we want to keep progressing aim to stay in the division.”