McCrudden confident Stute can hold their own with the big boys

The talented midfielder who netted 16 goals this season and turned down a host of clubs in January to stay at Drumahoe is confident they won’t have the same fate as Ards.

Niall Currie’s side were relegated after one season in the top flight, but McCrudden doesn’t think that will happen to the Waterside men.

“It doesn’t get much better than that, to win the league on the last game of the season is brilliant,” he stated.

“It was an absolutely brilliant day, because you heard the crowd all cheering once news came through that the Welders equalised and although we didn’t get another goal I think that cheer spurred us on an extra few per cent to make sure we did our side of the bargain.

“We always felt the Welders would do us a favour to be honest, even though we were prepared for a play-off.”

Once the final whistle was blown at Stute, McCrudden, who netted an impressive 16 goals this season and in my opinion was the club’s player of the season, like everyone at the Riverside Stadium was looking for news from Clandeboye Park and he admits when the title was guaranteed the party was going to start.

“I kept looking up to you and asking ‘whats the story at Bangor’, you told me that they were in the fourth minute of stoppage time and from then until word that the game had finished at Bangor seemed like a life-time, but once we got word that it was over, it was brilliant.

“I haven’t drunk all season and I said as soon as we won the league, then I was going to maybe have a few drinks and party with the boys.”

The Waterside man believes Paul Kee’s side won’t be going into the Premiership next season just to make the numbers up and he can’t wait to strut his stuff at the likes of Windsor Park, Solitude, The Oval and Shamrock Park.

“I think we’ll definitely compete, we play football and we can mix it at the same time, so I think we’ll take points off the top teams and we’ll compete with the bottom six sides.”

During last January’s transfer window the one time Newcastle United starlet was much sought after but he’s only focused on staying at Drumahoe and making sure his holiday plans this summer doesn’t effect his pre-season preparations.

Kee will be doing everything he can to keep the likes of the 22-year-old, Aaron Walsh, Darren McCauley and a host of others.

“I’m enjoying things at Stute,” he added.

“But I enjoyed last season more, because this season has been a bit stop start because I have had a few injuries and I think that was partially to do with me going on holidays during pre-season, which won’t be happening again next season.

“I know it was my fault even though the holiday was booked a year before, but as I said it wont be happening this summer. I’ll be getting my head down working hard over the summer before pre-season training starts, hopefully I’ll have no injuries and kick on again next season.”