Ballymena United goalkeeper Sean O’Neill has revealed he turned down a number of other offers to rejoin the Braidman on a permanent deal ahead of next season.
O’Neill, who spent the second half of last season on loan at David Jeffrey’s Sky Blues, recently left Crusaders where he has spent the past 11 years.
And the 34-year-old says he jumped at the chance to return to the Showgrounds for a second permanent spell after also featuring for the club in the late-2000s.
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“I had other offers but I didn’t want to go anywhere else,” O’Neill told Ballymena United TV. “This was always where I was going to come to.
“I wanted to come here and I wanted to come and play for Davy and Bryan (McLaughlin). It was an easy decision in the end.”
Asked if it had been a tough decision to leave the Crues, where he won three league titles and numerous other trophies, O’Neill said: “To be honest, no it wasn’t.
“Yes, I have good friends and I had a lot of time for the supporters down there, but it was an easy decision. I enjoyed the last six months at Ballymena, so it wasn’t a difficult decision.”
O’Neill was one of the heroes of a penalty shootout win over Larne in last season’s Irish Cup quarter-finals, a result that helped Ballymena reach the showpiece in May.
The veteran shot stopper wasn’t allowed to play against his parent club in the final and the Crues went on to lift the blue riband trophy in dramatic fashion.
But despite suffering the heartache of a last gasp equaliser in normal time and stoppage time winner in extra-time, O’Neill believes United are equipped to bounce back next season.
“It’s disappointing we didn’t go on and win the Irish Cup but for someone like me coming in, it gave me a bit of confidence knowing that this team isn’t that far off,” he said.
“I wouldn’t have come here if I didn’t think there was a group of men in the changing room that could go on and win things.
“I do think there’s a good group here who have the ability to go on and bring a bit of silverware back to Ballymena. We’re in a good place and I believe we can have a strong season.”
O’Neill, affectionately known as ‘Oggers’, played under Tommy Wright and Roy Walker at Ballymena in the late-2000s before leaving for Dungannon Swifts in 2010.
He signed for Crusaders in 2011 and went on to make 365 appearances for the North Belfast club where he won three league titles, a Setanta Cup, Irish Cup, League Cup and two County Antrim Shields.
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