RARELY have Irish League supporters of top flight clubs been so eager for a new season to start and it's not just because most of them are excited to see their teams in the flesh for the first time in yonks.
Covid-19 has been a dominant force in the domestic game since March 2020, stopping one season in its tracks with decisions about title winners, promotion and relegation decided on zoom calls rather than on the pitch and leading to the last campaign being mostly played out behind closed doors in a schedule more hectic than morning rush hour on the Westlink prior to the pandemic.
Crowds are back tomorrow night and Saturday when the 2021/2022 season kicks-off. Stadiums won't be at full capacity but around 2,500 will be at Inver Park on Friday to see Larne take on Coleraine and 1400 are expected to attend the mid-Ulster derby between Portadown and Glenavon at Shamrock Park.
The pre-game chat will centre around what has been the craziest transfer window in the history of the Danske Bank Premiership whetting the appetite for what promises to be a tasty nine months of action.
Clubs have been throwing money about like Jose Mourinho used to hurl insults at Paul Pogba and Luke Shaw. They've also brought back their own version of Swap Shop in a glut of player exchanges in an extraordinary summer that has upped the ante for the new season.
The heat is well and truly on Glentoran and manager Mick McDermott to land the east Belfast side's first title since 2009 having broken the Irish League transfer record signing Shay McCartan from Ballymena United for £100,000.
Former Northern Ireland international McCartan is a brilliant footballer - and a superb GAA player - and if used properly by the Glens in a free attacking role could be the game changer they need to take them from a side that has flattered to deceive in the last couple of championship battles to one that actually comes out on top. Bobby Burns could be another key signing for the Oval men.
In recent years McDermott has loved recruiting players from Cliftonville so it wasn't a shocker he landed Reds goalkeeper Aaron McCarey with winger Jamie McDonagh going in the other direction. For good measure Solitude boss Paddy McLaughlin snapped up Glens midfielder Chris Gallagher in a separate deal. Record goalscorer Joe Gormley has been the subject of serious interest from Glentoran, Larne and Ballymena United. Whether he stays or leaves the Reds know a title challenge is a step too far but a shot at Europe and maybe at last an Irish Cup triumph is within their grasp.
Champions and double winners Linfield have been in the market too with their top signing Dundalk legend Chris Shields and a fascinating one in Marty Donnelly arriving from Larne. Normally the team to beat with stalwarts Andy Waterworth, Mark Stafford and Mark Haughey off to Glenavon and Shayne Lavery and Joel Cooper moving on to Blackpool and Oxford respectively, other clubs feel the time is now to halt David Healy's stunning run of success.
Larne are one. Tiernan Lynch has brought in Kofi Balmer, Ben Doherty, Cian Bolger, Rohan Ferguson, Mike Argyrides and Navid Nasseri in a busy summer in a bid to take his team to that next title step after an impressive first flurry in Europe.
Right now it looks like a straight fight for the crown between the Blues, Larne and the Glens with Cliftonville, last season's runners-up Coleraine, Crusaders and potential dark horses Glenavon vying for fourth spot.
Ballymena have been highly active with former Derry City striker David Parkhouse their most eye-catching arrival. It could be between them and Warrenpoint for eighth with Barry Gray making some shrewd signings most notably goalkeeper Conor Mitchell from Larne.
Dungannon, Portadown and Carrick are expected to fight it out to avoid relegation. Stuart King is a new boss to the league with Carrick but bringing in old heads like Jim Ervin and David Cushley may be enough to escape the trap door in a season to relish - and to think there's still a few days left in the transfer window!
