After spending a decade in top-flight football, midfielder Gareth Tommons explained he joined Dundela this summer to land the Championship title.
The 30-year-old spent seven seasons at Coleraine before a move to Ards in 2016, but moved on to the East Belfast outfit this summer in what was a statement signing by the Duns.
“I joined Dundela because I want to win the Championship title,” Tommons told Match On Tuesday.
“That was one of the main motivating factors behind me joining the club. I want to win a league title and Dundela convinced me that was what they were aiming for - they were the calibre of players they were looking for.
“They want to push on from where they were last season and they want to have success, that tallies with what I want as a player and that is why I joined.
“I have played in a good few teams and I know that we have the ability to win this league with the set-up that is in place and the players that are in the squad.
“The important thing to put in place is the mentality of believing that is what we can do, because the ability is in place.
“I think that belief is in place because the attitude is really good and when we don’t win a match there is a sense of frustration and that we have underachieved if we don’t.”
Tommons then continued to note the differences between the Duns and his former club: “As a player at Ards, they didn’t have their own ground or their own social club, and things like that can make a big difference.
“You feel like you are turning up for the match and then leaving straight afterwards, so it was harder to get proper team bonding done as you never felt like you had a home in that sense.
“The coaches here reassured me that Dundela was totally different – after the game the players are together and there’s a close-knit feel about that.
“This is an absolutely super club with a really good spirit about it and players enjoy their football here, it’s been easy for me to settle in quickly and that is the same for any player.”
Tommons – who began his career at local club Limavady United – also referenced Jordan Hughes.
The frontman is nearing a return to fitness after missing almost the full calendar year with injuries.
“When you’re missing a player who can contribute 30 goals a season, it makes a big difference,” the midfielder noted.
“He is one of the standout players of the division and he is the sort of player that makes a huge impact on the scoreline because he can score goals from nothing.
“Jordan is the type of player you want in your team at any level and it’s really difficult to replace that, especially when you’re at a club like Dundela who don’t have the biggest squad.”
The Duns make the short trip across Belfast on Saturday to take on struggling QUB at the Dub.
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