Sports Direct Premiership: Cliftonville v Portadown (Sunday, 3pm, BBC Sport NI & BBC iPlayer)
Keep the faith in Jim is Michael Newberry’s ethos as he prepares for the new season since making the switch from Linfield to Cliftonville.
The Reds open against newly-promoted Portadown at Solitude on day with both teams on a high after successful campaigns last year.
The Ports won a very competitive Championship and reached the final of the League Cup and the quarter finals of the Irish Cup.
There, they were beaten by Cliftonville and Jim Magilton’s side went on to beat Linfield in a thrilling cup final in May.
Newberry was left out of the Blues’ squad for the final and says a desire to play more games was one factor in moving to Solitude.
He agreed to move before the final was played and since then Cliftonville have been hit by a series of departures as Ronan Hale, Ben Wilson and Sam Ashord left for pastures new.
Newberry says he had an inkling Hale would leave but insists he has faith in his new manager to cope with the exodus.
“I’m not worried at all, I’ve got full faith in Jim”, said the 26-year-old defender.
“Obviously there was talk about Ronan moving on after the season he had so I wasn’t surprised when he moved to Ross County.
“I half expected him to leave, but I didn’t know Sam Ashford and Ben Wilson would be leaving as well.
“However, we have plenty of firepower at Solitude. We signed Rory Donnelly, Ryan Curran is coming back after a couple of years out with injury, we have Joe Gormley and young Ryan Corrigan as well.
“Pre-season has been great and I’ve settled in well.
“It helped that I knew Connor Pepper from his time at Linfield, and I knew Rory Hale as we played against each other when he was at Aston Villa and I was at Newcastle United as a young player.
“I knew Ronan as well as we played Call Of Duty on X-Box together, and everybody has been brilliant with me since I arrived at the club.
“Europe was obviously a disappointment but we have to put that behind us and focus on the new season, starting with Portadown.
“We have to focus on ourselves. Portadown have brought a lot of players in over the summer so it’s hard to know who will be playing so we have to focus on what we can do.
“That means defending well, concentrating, not giving away possession and taking our chances if and when they come along.
“I like to take the season game by game and not look too far ahead, or you can lose your focus.
“Work hard, play well, win games and take it from there is my philosophy and I can’t wait for the season to get underway.
“So it’s Portadown first and worry about the other games after for me.
“Portadown will be full of confidence after the season they had last year.
“We know they will pose a threat and we have to be ready to deal with it.”
Portadown manager Niall Currie has not been resting on his laurels after last year’s success, ringing the changes at Shamrock Park over the summer.
Sixteen players left and sixteen arrived through the revolving door in Mid Ulster, and the new signings include luminaries such as Shay McCartan, Aaron McCarey, Stevie McCullough, Lewis MacKinnon, Jamie McDonagh and Cathair Friel.
One player who looks like his time with Portadown is coming to an end is 31-year-old defender and Tik-Tok star Brandon Diau.
The German-born centre-half signed a new one year deal with the Ports in May, but was placed on the transfer list this week.