DYLAN Boyle says he is “relishing” being a part of the picture at the Coleraine Showgrounds for the foreseeable future after signing a contract extension…
The midfielder has agreed terms on a multi-year deal after impressing during his maiden campaign on the Ballycastle Road, racking up 43 appearances in all competitions.
The Crossgar man revealed how he was immediately keen to pledge his long-term future to the club, which he believes is on “the crest of a wave”.
“I’m absolutely delighted to get it over the line and it was a no-brainer for myself,” he said.
“Since I’ve come into the building, the fans and staff have treated me well and the relationship I’ve built-up with my team-mates meant it was something I wanted to get done as soon as possible.
“I’m delighted that the club has given me the opportunity to sign a multi-year deal and I’m looking forward to getting back at it and seeing where the next couple of years takes us.
“I think the club is on a crest of a wave at the minute and it’s just going to take off, so to have the opportunity to be here over the next few years is something I’m relishing being a part of and I can’t wait to see where it takes me and the club.”
When asked to sum up his first season at The Showgrounds, the 23-year-old spoke of his delight at returning to a full-time environment but also a tinge of disappointment at not being able to secure European football.
He stated: “To step back into a full-time environment after being part-time, I’m really pleased with the amount of minutes that I’ve played.
“From a team standpoint, we turned it around after Christmas, put a lot of good results together but we are obviously disappointed with how it finished.
“With the squad we have, we knew a European spot was certainly up for grabs but we left points out there throughout the campaign.
“We’re going to regroup again and get a good crack at it this season.”
Despite being named as the Coleraine FC Player of the Year for 2024-25, Boyle says he will be going into pre-season with “a clean slate”.
He further remarked how the additions of seven new faces will help the squad fight for their place in the starting line-up.
“I had a nice off season but I can’t wait to get back to it,” he added.
“The club has obviously been busy in terms of recruitment and it’s really exciting to see.
“As a player, it brings that competitive nature to it which is good, and over the course of a season you play so many games in different competitions, so to have a competitive squad will help us be successful.
“From a personal standpoint, I want to hit the ground running as it’s a clean slate for everyone on day one of pre-season.
“I want to show the manager what I’ve got, I feel like I’ve got more to add this season and hopefully be influential to the team.
“It was really exciting working with Ruaidhri at the tail end of last season and he’s a manager with a lot of good experience and he brought a real excitement for the last two games.”