Dungannon Swifts boss Dean Shiels reaping benefits after 'risky' decision in March 2021

Dungannon Swifts boss Dean Shiels freely admits the powers-that-be at Stangmore Park took a “risk” when they appointed him as a novice manager in March 2021.

But 15 months later and after a ninth-placed finish in the Danske Bank Premiership last season, the division’s youngest boss can reflect on a positive first full campaign at the helm.

Drill down into the stats and you’ll find a Dungannon side that amassed more than double the points (35 to 17) and goals (46 to 22) compared to the previous season.

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Yes, more goals were shipped than Shiels would have liked, but the fact progress was made playing expansive football and putting faith in young players hasn’t gone unnoticed.

“The Dungannon board knew what they were getting when they brought me in and that was a risk for them, to be fair,” said Shiels, who is still only 37 and in his first managerial post.

“Survival is always the goal, but I also want my teams to go and play on the front foot, press teams and play open football. There’s high risk with that but that’s the way I’ll continue to manage.

“To go from finishing six points adrift at the bottom of the table last year (when there was no relegation due to Covid) to finishing ninth this season was a massive achievement.

“Particularly when you consider we lost our captain Oisin Smyth to Oxford United and our vice captain Keith Cowan to Drogheda in the January transfer window. We also lost Darragh McBrien to injury.”

Across the campaign, no fewer than 11 players aged 22 or under played more than 15 games for Dungannon in the Danske Bank Premiership.

And the likes of McBrien (20), Ben Gallagher (20), Cahal McGinty (21), Adam Glenny (20), Ethan McGhee (19)