Ballymena United star Ben Kennedy declares he made the best move of his career when he joined the Sky Blues in the summer.
When the 27-year-old was perhaps surprisingly put on the transfer list at Crusaders, Ballymena boss Jim Ervin was backed by his board to land the former Stevenage player.
Kennedy was coveted by most clubs in the Sports Direct Premiership but opted to sign for Ervin, whose team had narrowly avoided relegation last season.
It was hailed as the transfer coup of the summer and the move worked out as Kennedy is today named the Sports Direct Premiership Player of the Month for September.
He scored six goals in six games in an impressive run of six straight wins for the Showgrounds club, propelling them to second place in the league.
Today, the former U21 international opens up on his decision to join Ballymena and insists his motive for leaving Seaview was not caused by a fallout with the manager.
“In the end, my heart wasn’t fully in it, for many reasons”, said Kennedy.
“I’ve been in football long enough to know when I’ve reached my capacity at a football club.
“People will obviously jump to their own conclusions thinking it had something to do with Stephen Baxter, which couldn’t be further from the truth.
“It had nothing to do with him. We had a perfect relationship.
“It came to the point where I felt the club was going in a different direction than where I wanted to go. We didn’t run parallel with each other.
“I ended up leaving on good terms. It was my time to go and I thank everyone for what they did for me in my four years at the club.
“I think a lot of people were surprised I opted to sign for Ballymena. I could almost hear them say, ‘what’s he doing’.
“It was how Jim (Ervin) and the Board at the club went about the transfer business.
“I had five or six offers on the table, including full-time clubs.
“It came down to how everyone at Ballymena United made me feel. When I heard their plans, they matched what I wanted to do.
“When I have my heart set on something, I go for it and for me, it’s turned out to be the best decision I’ve made.
“We may not have had the best of starts, and I suppose there were a lot of questions asked of us, but thankfully we have come up with the answers.
“Jim has not only brought in experience, but a lot of winners, in terms of the Laffertys, Carsons and O’Donnells.
“They have been about the League,they know it inside out.
“Yes, it took us a while to gel at the start, coming to terms with different formations and other things.
“Now we’ve a way of playing and a consistent team to help us win games of football.
“We have a lot of character in the dressing room.
“I love a challenge, I joined Ballymena for a challenge.
“I’m now embracing that challenge. I’m now thriving at Ballymena and loving life at the club, long may it continue.”
It’s been a long time since Ballymena won one monthly award, never mind two and Sky Blues fans are revelling in the turnaround in form from last season, when Ballymena beat Institute in a Premiership play-off at the end of the season.
Kennedy says he is glad to pay his part but says the success has been a collective effort from players and staff alike.
“It’s a little feather in the cap of the club, Jim the manager of the month and me picking up the player award.
“Jim and I may have picked up the personal awards, but it’s down to the team – all my teammates deserve it.
“But we’ll not become carried away. Football can change quickly.
“We have ambitions, but there will be bumps and cracks along the way.
“Ballymena United is a massive club in terms of infrastructure and fan base, and it has a great history.
“Where they finished in the table last season (11th) is no reflection of Ballymena as a football club.
“I wanted to come to this club to put Ballymena United back on the football map.
“I want to help the club win things, whether it’s a big trophy or whatever it may be, but I believe success will return to the football club.”