Sports Direct Premiership
Ballymena United v Crusaders (Friday, 7.45pm)
AS seasons go, 2022-23 is a campaign that Josh Robinson would largely wish to forget.
However, the imposing defender is back in the habit and raring for action as his side Crusaders make the trip north to play Ballymena United in their opening Sports Direct Premiership game.
It is almost 12 months since the centre-back suffered his horror facial injury in the last minute of a clash with rivals Linfield at Seaview. It was an injury that threatened to curtail his playing career.
He did return, mask and all, in the new year to play 19 games for the Hatchetmen, putting in a number of man-of-the-match performances.
However, towards the business end of the campaign, he suffered a fractured tibia which ruled him out of the Irish Cup final win against tonight’s opponents and also the heroic European campaign which saw the Crues go mighty close against Norwegian heavyweights Rosenborg.
So what keeps the man from east Belfast positive when looking ahead.
“I think having the injuries that I’ve suffered over the past year, there will be a lot of negativity out there,’’ he says.
‘’Be it people in other teams or the press, a lot of people will be only too glad to say I’m finished or that I’m done.”
“I try to stay away from all that, but when I hear those comments it definitely drives me on.
“It motivates me to prove people wrong. I did it last year and I know I can do it again this year.”
You certainly can’t knock the confidence of the man. There will be people asking genuine questions about whether the 30-year-old now has the durability that the 38 games of the Irish league demands. But if there is one man that has history of proving the doubters wrong it is Robinson.
Making his return from his smashed cheekbone and eye-socket injury, teams seemed keen to test if he still had the “stomach” for the fight, pumping long balls towards the masked crusader. Each and every time he responded with an emphatic header or a strong challenge to the point where teams stopped targeting him.
Unlike last year, Robinson understands that even if he is fit, there is no guarantee that he makes the starting 11 for Stephen Baxter’s side. Jimmy Callacher will demand a starting berth upon his upcoming return from a back injury, but competition also comes in the form of last season’s partner in defence, Daniel Larmour, and also Rory McKeown. Those two played exceptionally in the team’s European achievements over the summer.
“Jimmy has come in and has added his experience to the side in pre-season and has really upped the expectations in the squad of what levels you need to be operating at,’’ says Robinson.
“Daniel and Rory have come in and haven’t really put a foot wrong, so there are certainly no givens. If I don’t work hard and hit the ground running it could be a short comeback.”
Ballymena manager Jim Ervin, meanwhile, will be hoping to get his ship back on course after their opening defeat to Coleraine.
He can take some comfort from the fact Ballymena managed one win and a draw against the Crues last term, but he will not be taking much motivation from the chastening 4-0 defeat against Baxter’s men in the cup final showpiece back in May.
With last week’s scorer Colin Coates, a legend at Crusaders in the past, up against some old mates, a few old scores could be settled.
For Robinson and his side, they will be hoping for no European hangover but instead a party back up the M2.
