The most important thing for any footballer is to play games’ - Tony McNamee

Tony McNamee loves playing football and the Ramelton man says his previous departure from Finn Harps centred completely on the fact that he felt he’d become something of a bit-part figure on Navenny Street.

Two seasons ago, Ollie Horgan just couldn’t make any guarantees in relation to game time and because of that, McNamee punched his card and headed for the exit door at Finn Park.

He subsequently dropped down to Intermediate football at Bonagee United but he says it was an experience that ultimately helped him, for want of a better phrase, get his mojo back.

The landscape for Harps has also changed considerably in that same timeframe. In 2021 Horgan would eventually go on to lead the side to automatic safety in the top tier so there probably are no regrets his end.

McNamee isn’t one to look back in anger either. But looking on from a distance at their struggles this term in the lower realms of the First Division, he felt he could contribute and, most importantly, on a much more regular basis than he was allowed to in his last spell with the club.

“The truth is… I read an interview last week with Stephen Doherty and he said he never wanted to leave Finn Harps. My only reason for leaving was that I wasn’t playing. Regardless, if you’re at Arsenal, Harps or even Swilly Rovers, if you’re not playing football you won’t be happy.

“The most important thing for any footballer is that they’re playing a decent number of minutes at the weekend. At the time, I just didn’t feel like I was getting the minutes I needed.

“And I’m not saying I deserved more minutes or that should have been at anyone else’s expense. I just wanted to play football. It was as simple as that. And again, I wasn’t looking to play 90 minutes every single week.

“I just wanted to play enough that made me happy and made it feel like I was contributing. Over a period of ten games I’d have been lucky to see 150 minutes in that time. It’s not that I wanted out.

“I questioned if I was going to play and Ollie just couldn’t give me any guarantees at the time. I dropped down a level but I have to say I really enjoyed my time at Bonagee. It’s a great club - very well run.

“But any young lad I speak to, I always tell them to play at the highest level you can. And I felt like I’d get the chance to play at Harps if I went back. You have to have a smile on your face when you’re giving up that time and effort. It shouldn’t be a chore.

“Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday - that’s the schedule. But you have to be there because you want to be there, not because you have to be there”.

On his return last Friday night, McNamee pulled the strings as Harps edged third placed Cobh Ramblers 4-3 in Ballybofey - just their second home win of the season.

Against Bray Wanderers a fortnight ago, Dave Rogers flooded his starting team with a raft of new signings, seven in total, and the signs were there right away that something could well be on the verge of clicking.

But McNamee says the significant improvement in the last two outings, where they’ve picked up four points from the six on offer, is the result of weeks of hard work on the training field.

“It might look like it’s gelled quickly from the outside looking in but a good few of us have actually been in for a good number of weeks now. I’m in since the start of June and the others were already there.

“So it’s not like we’ve just landed on July 1 and went straight into the team. We’ve been working really hard behind closed doors and so hopefully some of that hard work was evident in the last few games”.

Next up, Harps turn their attention to FAI Cup action when they travel to Leinster Intermediate outfit Kilbarrack United in north Dublin.

When they do return to league action on Friday week, it’s an away trip to basement outfit Kerry FC. So the opportunity is certainly there to add further momentum. And, who knows, maybe Harps could yet propel themselves into one of the play-off spots.

“I’m just out of Intermediate football so I know how good the level can be at certain clubs. And I still vividly remember back in 2016 Crumlin coming up to Finn Park and dumping us out of the running.

“We’ll have to be on high alert and make sure we’re on it. There are loads of lads playing Intermediate football that but for a variety of reasons, could well be playing at senior level. A good cup run would be a great lift.

“Even a win short term, at the weekend, would just be another wee boost after the encouraging few weeks we’ve had. It would lead in nicely to that away trip to Kerry.

“Galway and Waterford have set the standard at the very top but the focus for us now, I certainly feel, would be trying to catch what’s immediately below that. I think in that cluster, anyone can beat anyone on any given day”.