Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
IN Talks to Larne’s English-born defender BEN TILNEY star at s, but for wants from play his on of r Larne
Tilney. “And all the games I did play in the league, and a couple of games in the cups as well, I am really proud of that, and getting my first professional contract in the first place, because you have worked so hard from such a young age.
“And you know what it is like, every season it gets whittled down to less and less players so it was really good to know all the work you had put in in the academy had some worth and hadn’t gone to waste.”
With Larne’s coronation as champions just a matter of time, Tilney has let his thoughts drift to next season, and what are sure to be explosive games against the likes of Linfield, Crusaders, Ballymena, Glentoran, Glenavon and all the big guns of the Premiership.
“I just want to continue helping the team as best I can and it would be great if I’m starting every week,” added the Larne No 15.
“And I’ll be working as hard as I can off the pitch to make sure I am. I’ve already watched a few of the games on TV and it’s a very good atmosphere, and the level of football will probably suit us as a team, playing at a higher standard.
“It’s really, really exciting and I can’t wait for it.”
Next up for Tilney is Friday night’s hotly-anticipated Irish Cup showrecalled down with Coleraine. And then after that, a reunion with his family who are coming over for the Ballinamallard game the following week, when the Championship title could well be paraded and a long-awaited return to the Irish League’s top flight finally sealed.
“My family are coming over at the start of March,” he said. “In the early days, they were really, really supportive of me coming over here, my mum would call me all the time, asking me how I’m getting on.
“But every time I call them, I tell them, ‘Oh, I’m really happy and enjoying it’, and for them, that’s the main thing.
“They are very happy to hear I’m happy and enjoying my football here.”