Matthew Ferguson: There would be no greater achievement in my career than getting Harland & Wolff Welders to the Premiership

The 27-year-old suffered his first setback in pre-season of 2020/21 and after going through nine months of rehab, Ferguson required surgery on a dislocated kneecap ahead of the 2021/22 campaign.

That resulted in an entire season on the sidelines but he returned with a bang in October, scoring three times in his first four matches back and finished the season with a flurry to end only one goal behind Adam Salley in the Golden Boot race.

Both were nominated for Championship Player of the Year – an award won by Loughgall captain Ben Murdock – and while Salley has moved into the Premiership with Newry City, Ferguson signed a new deal at Blanchflower Park and wants to play his part in their promotion bid.

"I love the club,” he said. “I'm moving into my fifth season and it's probably the best club I've ever played for with how they treat players, how they've treated me since I've been there.

"We've had some tough situations but came through it and now the fact we're moving in the right direction and I want to be part of that.

"I had a couple of offers in January as well as at the end of the season but I got my decision made with the club very early on because that's where I want to play. I love playing there and I really do believe we're capable of achieving what we want to achieve.

"When you're happy playing football that's what is most important and there will be success along the way."

Returning to action required getting over mental hurdles as well as physical ones and Ferguson credits the club for sticking by him through the toughest moments.

"I had a great team behind me and I can't thank the club enough,” he added. “They stuck by me through the hard parts.

"I was no use to the club at that time not being able to play football but great credit to them and I'm very thankful for what they did for me.

"They stuck by me and made sure I was getting the right treatment and I had a great physio in Jonny Cummins who helped me every step of the way.

"From a mental state it's very hard coming back from serious surgery, but he prepared me right in every way possible and that was the main success for me getting the numbers I did last season.

"I was able to kick on right away and once I got up to game speed it felt like I was never away."

The Welders have came within striking distance of the top-flight in recent years and brought in the likes of former Coventry City midfielder Aidan Finnegan, striker David Parkhouse and a number of loanees from Premiership clubs this summer as they look to take the next step.

Ferguson is confident they’ll be able to lay down a challenge and says it would be the greatest achievement of his career if they were to pull it off.

"You want to play as high as you can for as long as you can and there would be no greater achievement in my career than to get Harland & Wolff Welders to the Premiership,” he added. “The club have the backing, the professionalism and deserve to be playing top-flight football.

"There are people working very hard behind the scenes, never taking a break and always pushing hard to try and better themselves.

"We've now got a great stadium and the club are gearing towards Premiership football. What we're hoping for now is to produce performances on the pitch that can get the club to that level.

"Myself and many others at the club believe we deserve to be in the Premiership so fingers crossed this season we could well be up there fighting for promotion and hopefully we won't be too far away."