Soccer

Linfield skipper Mulgrew knows they must get off to a winning start in post-split fixtures to snatch league title from Larne's grasp

Linfield captain Jamie Mulgrew has enough experience of success at Windsor Park to know that they are still in with a shout of retaining the Gibson Cup this season
Linfield captain Jamie Mulgrew has enough experience of success at Windsor Park to know that they are still in with a shout of retaining the Gibson Cup this season Linfield captain Jamie Mulgrew has enough experience of success at Windsor Park to know that they are still in with a shout of retaining the Gibson Cup this season

Danske Bank Irish Premiership: Linfield v Crusaders (Friday, 7.45pm)

Linfield captain Jamie Mulgrew recognises the stakes couldn’t be higher for both sides as he looks ahead to Friday night’s clash with Crusaders at Windsor Park. The Blues currently occupy second place in the Danske Bank Irish Premiership, five points behind leaders Larne, whilst the Crues are hanging onto their coattails six points further back in fifth.

“These are the games players look forward to. Both sides, especially Crusaders know that more than one defeat in this split makes it almost impossible to win the title. Home wins are a must,” the skipper says.

Both sides will enter the game with high hopes following some impressive results. Crusaders have qualified for the Irish Cup final after defeating Dungannon Swifts last week thanks to a Declan Caddell injury-time winner; and Linfield are having a rich vein of form themselves, scoring - a scarcely believable - 12 goals in their last two outings.

The last time the teams met was in February when Crusaders ran out comfortable 2-0 winners at Seaview, with the sides drawing 0-0 at Windsor back in November. Crusaders will be hoping for a turnaround in their dismal away form that has plagued the north Belfast side all season. The pressure is on.

Mulgrew is rarely flustered by pressure.  The man with more gold on his mantelpiece than a Zurich vault - 10 titles and seven Irish cups to name a few - has seen it all.

After his parents moved from Belfast to Bangor to give him and his siblings a better start in life, the middle Mulgrew boy grew a thirst for sport.

“I suppose my upbringing built me for nights like Friday and bigger. I was probably the last of the generation of kids who had very strict coaches, you learnt a lot and it hardened me and matured me.  In a good way, coaches like Joe Kincaid at St Andrew's junior side were firm but always fair, they demanded effort.” the 36-year-old-says.

Mulgrew’s journey has included a short spell at Glentoran, two international caps for Northern Ireland in 2010; and most interestingly of all coming close to moving Stateside.

“2011 was a crossroads for me. Linfield were moving back to part-time and I felt like I needed to push as high a level as possible,” he said

“ I was approached by three MLS sides and spent a summer training with them and actually playing for Orlando against Bolton Wanderers.  The experience was amazing. I wouldn’t say they were technically much better than ourselves, but they were all worlds ahead of us in fitness”

“An offer was actually put on the table by Orlando, but there wasn’t much security in it and after speaking with David (Jeffrey) I decided I wanted to carry on with the Blue.  I will always be grateful to them for giving me the opportunity to explore the move”.

This decision proved to be a fruitful one for the Bangor man, winning player of the year in 2017, and amassing title after title (each Irish Cup winning year has been part of a double with the league).

Having amassed over 700 appearances for Linfield and now coach of the U18 set-up, Mulgrew has long-since claimed legend status at the club. So what motivates him as we bring his attention back to Friday night’s game?

“I think the drive is still there. I credit that to my influences as a kid, the discipline instilled in me. 

"I'm 36 now, I could retire tomorrow, but football is a short career. I will miss those days of lifting trophies in front of 10,000 fans when they’re gone” he says.

“Each success is getting sweeter.  For me in the coming weeks, if we play our own game, look after ourselves, why cant we win all five and lift the trophy? The fans will expect it and so will I.”