Cliftonville defender Levi Ives is confident the Reds are equipped to “go again” next season after taking Linfield to the wire in this year’s title race.
Paddy McLaughlin’s men pushed the Blues all the way only to be pipped by a point on the final day, despite beating Glentoran 2-1 at the BetMcLean Oval.
It was a frustrating climax to a campaign which also saw the North Belfast club qualify for Europe and lift the League Cup in March.
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But Ives says Cliftonville will pocket the positives of a memorable season and come back even stronger next time out.
“We were saying after the game, if you’d suggested at the start of the season that we would finish on 82 points, I don’t think anyone would have expected that,” he said.
“We were only a point off winning the title and it’s an unbelievable achievement. People are saying we overachieved, but we know we have a really strong squad here.
“There’s such a close bond between us and there were times during the season when you stepped on the pitch and you were thinking ‘I can’t see this team beating us today’.
“The only team we didn’t beat was Linfield and they won the league. I think we’ve been absolutely excellent and we will go again next season.
“The lads deserve a break now after a long enough season, but there’s a determination there to right the wrongs next season and go again.”
It is hard to believe that only 12 months ago boss McLaughlin was considering his options after being linked with a move to Derry City as part of Ruaidhri Higgins' backroom staff.
Fast forward a year and the Reds are counting their blessings that the 42-year-old Derrymen opted to extend his stay at Solitude.
“Paddy has been unbelievable,” said Ives. “If you look at it, this time last year after losing the (European) play-offs, things weren’t great, but thankfully he stayed.
“To come and deliver what he has delivered this season and get us to within a point of the leaders is unbelievable. Paddy and the backroom staff have been excellent.”
Asked if he would ‘go through a brick wall’ for McLaughlin, Ives replied: “One hundred percent.”
Despite narrowly missing out on Cliftonville’s first Gibson Cup since 2014, Ives can reflect on one of his most consistent and productive seasons in a red shirt.
It comes on the back of a frustrating period on the sidelines following two metatarsal injuries in September 2019 and the following season.
“I was initially told to let it heal itself, but I spoke with a foot specialist and he said he’d put a screw in it for me and I haven’t had any problems since,” said Ives.
“When you’re out injured you beat yourself up and you start putting on a few pounds because you can’t do the cardio you want to or you start eating things you shouldn’t be eating.
“I couldn’t wait until this season started and I feel great now.”
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