It would take somebody brave to tell Brian Gartland it’s time to hang up his boots and the Dundalk captain has no intention of giving up any time soon.
He’s been written off at varying stages of his career but, at 35, he’s as fit as ever and raring to go as a new era begins at Oriel Park under his former teammate Stephen O’Donnell.
Gartland returned to action in pre-season following a nine-month stint on the sidelines after tearing his anterior cruciate ligaments against Shamrock Rovers in Tallaght.
The Knocklyon man may only have been a short spin down the N81 from the house he grew up in but it’s been a long road to recovery for the defender.
With five Premier Division titles, three FAI Cups and three EA Sports Cup medals in his pocket, Gartland is among the most decorated players ever to play in the league.
He’s a veteran of two Europa League group stages, under Stephen Kenny in 2016 and Filippo Giovagnoli in 2020, and begins a second stint as captain after inheriting the armband from longtime defensive partner Andy Boyle.
The former Bray Wanderers, Shelbourne, Monaghan United and Portadown defender is the longest-serving player at the club as he heads into his tenth season as a Lilywhite.
He was an unused sub in Friday’s 2-2 draw with Derry City at Oriel Park but, after a nine-month layoff, he’s itching to get back on the field.
“I've been working solid all year trying to get the knee strong and back to this stage, just to get back and contribute as much as I can for the team,” Gartland tells Dublin Live.
“Hopefully I'll play regularly and perform at the levels and higher than I've always previously done. I'll keep going until I'm told to stop or me body tells me to stop.”
The off-season at Dundalk was bathed in uncertainty as the American venture capitalist company Peak6, who arrived with much fanfare but delivered little, left.
In their place came a local consortium led by former owner Andy Connolly and, just as crucially, Stephen O’Donnell, who won four titles as captain at Dundalk.
O’Donnell made the decision to leave St Patrick’s Athletic just five days after leading them to FAI Cup success and his return has been popular with fans and players alike.
“It's a different club and It's a different squad. We were playing Galway and we had one player in the starting XI that was here last year.
“That's the realism of it - the bulk of the squad is new and the whole management team is new. It’s a new start and it’s completely different."
O’Donnell handed out eight debuts in the Derry game, with the likes of on-loan Hibernian winger Stevie Bradley and Wales under-21 midfielder Joe Adams impressing.
Another Welsh under-21 international, keeper Nathan Sheppard, started, as did Lewis Macari, grandson of the ‘uncrowned king of Old Trafford,’ Lou, who’s on loan from Stoke.
Gartland has been around the club long enough to see all types of player come through the door and he has been impressed by what he’s seen from the new class.
“The characters that they are, they're really good in terms of they're humble, they're hard-working, they're driven, they're hungry,” says Gartland.
“They've got great quality and they've shown it already. It's up to us now to create and environment for them to express themselves. If they do that, the team is going to benefit.
“There's always been players coming and going, whether it's from English academies or foreign. Once you have them, it doesn't matter where you're from.
“Once you have those traits, you're part of the group and you're willing to do whatever it takes for the team to benefit, then everyone's going to be happy.
“But you're always going to get some [who don't]. And this is the same with homegrown players.
“You get some that aren't willing to work hard or think they're better than they are, or forget they have to work hard first to show their qualities.
“The lads we've signed are great lads so far. We're delighted with them. I'm hoping they get to show how good they are because I'm seeing, in training, their ability.”
As far as working under O’Donnell goes, Gartland is comfortable with seeing O’Donnell go from being his mate to his boss.
He’s had a similar experience before when Vinny Perth, Kenny’s assistant, took over the main job and guided the Lilywhites to the title in 2019.
Gartland says: “He's in and he's the boss, and you have to respect that. That's what it is.
“The thing that's nice about it is I have such confidence in him because I know him, as a player, leader, his football philosophy, everything that he is.
“I know he's great and he's suited for the job so that's the biggest thing for me. I've no problem with that. That's football. That's any business or working life.
“Both of them are people I would have said at the time were right for the job, and I had no problem with it [when Vinny took over] so I've no problem with it now either.”
Dundalk travel to Dublin on Friday to face Bohemians at Dalymount Park (kick-off 7.45pm).
