H&W Welders will make their long-awaited debut at their new Blanchflower Stadium on Saturday and defender Gary Spence believes it will be the catalyst to take the club to the next level.
The Welders have departed their long-standing home of Tillysburn Park and will move into their new Blanchflower Stadium with its state-of-the-art facilities, following a lengthy construction process.
“It’s a really exciting time and Saturday will be a huge occasion for the club,” Spence told Match on Tuesday.
“Those on the committee have worked so hard to put all this in place – we have been training at the facilities for the past two weeks and it really is the part.
“The club now has to push on to the next level and be where they have not been before, as the club can now attract players that in the past we have not been able to.
“That is no disrespect to me or anyone else at the club but the club can make a step up now.”
The Welders have played all 11 matches in the league away from home and despite that challenge, have returned a respectable 18 points and sit in the top six.
“It has been difficult playing away every week,” said Spence.
“It’s fine when those games are broken up but there have been a few long trips in there already – Ballinamallard, Loughgall, Annagh, Institute and Dergview, where you’re away for 11 or 12 hours.
“Those games can be a bit of a grind when they are every week, so if we can continue that away form for the rest of the season – we’ll be in the mix at the right end of the table.
“You are never guaranteed to win your home games of course and teams might want to play at our new ground too due to the facilities.
“Until Christmas we only have one away games so it is crucial now that we pick up a run of results now and make a fast start at our new stadium.
“We have been inconsistent in that we have not draw but we have won and lost quite a bit so we need to start chalking up a run of results.”
Spence captained Gary Smyth’s side on Saturday at Dergview and formed a central defensive partnership alongside Callum Byers – who scored the late winner and has starred since his summer move from Dungannon.
“Callum was a marquee signing – he’s only 24 and he is definitely a Premier League standard player,” said Spence.
“He has scored two last minute winners for us now this season, he is not particularly tall for a central defender, but he is fantastic in the air.
“Aside from that, his defensive qualities are excellent and his arrival gave everyone at the club a big lift.”
