Jamie Ray admitted the lure of playing Premiership football for Portadown was too good an offer to refuse, after he completed his transfer from Ballinamallard United to Niall Currie’s newly promoted top flight side.

“As soon as I heard Niall Currie wanted to speak to me, it was a hard decision to turn away from,” Ray admitted.

“It’s hard to say no to a chance to play in the Premiership against the likes of Linfield, Larne, Glentoran and all the rest.”

The Mallard’s goalkeeper had been on Portadown’s radar ever since his man of the match performance for Ballinamallard in a league cup tie at Shamrock Park in 2021, and the 20 year old admits that performance was influential in Portadown’s decision to bring him into their ranks.

“The game against Portadown when I was 17 was one of my highlights at Ballinamallard, “ admitted Ray. 

“Ever since then, Simon Hunter, Portadown’s goalkeeper coach, he always said he had a liking for me.”

Ray made 43 appearances for Ballinamallard after joining from Enniskillen Athletic as an U16 player in 2019.

A series of impressive performances in the NIFL Under 16 Academy League earned him a spot in the senior squad within 12 months.

He made his debut for the first team against Newbuildings in the North West Senior Cup in September 2021, and made his NIFL Championship debut later that month when he came on to the pitch as a replacement for Rory Browne.

He continued to make occasional appearances as the number two keeper, until establishing himself as the club’s number one choice for the latter stages of the 2023/24 season.

“I really enjoyed my time at Ballinamallard,” he admitted.

“I found it very good and very much of a learning experience, getting senior football and getting to play in the Championship at such a young age for a goalkeeper. I have to thank Ally Irwin, who signed me for the U16s, Harry McConkey for giving me my debut, and to Tommy Canning and Mark Stafford who gave me a regular starting spot last season.

"The main highlight for me was probably getting to play so much in the last year. Probably winning the North West Senior cup as well, because it's not every day you win a senior trophy.”

With his Ballinamallard chapter now behind him, Ray is looking forward to life at Portadown. He started pre-season training last week and his first pre-season match could come in Scotland when the squad travel to play Stranraer.

“The lads are very welcoming, and they have a really good set up. It looks like a really well run club,” he said.

“I know I am going in being number two but I have a chance of getting to number one. It is an open jersey and if I am training well and playing well then I am going to make appearances. It's about getting the chance.

"My ambition is to be number one at Portadown and hopefully win a few things. We don’t want to become a yo-yo club that goes up and down.

"We want to compete with the top six and try to make an impression in the Premiership.”