WATCH: 'Last thing we want to do is throw it away' : Mullen on survival first in Danske Bank Premiership
Newry City boss says relegation not an option
Newry City boss Darren Mullen has said top-flight survival is without doubt their main priority this season.
And having seen the club through a staggering four promotions in five seasons, he is adamant they will stay in the Danske Bank Premiership.
“The reality is we deserve to be where we are,” he said.
Mullen is a guest on our latest BetMcLean Football show in association with NIFL, now available to view on Cool FM’s Facebook page (see below).
He said they were not in the Premiership to simply make up the numbers and that relegation was not in the thinking.
"I'm not one for listening to this talk that there's not that much expected of you, or you've nothing to lose,” he said.
“We have everything to lose because we have worked so hard to get to this level and the last thing we want to do is throw it away."
With just three points from their opening four games, Newry are currently third from the bottom of the table.
Last Friday night they lost 4-0 to Ards.
Mullen has vowed the team will bounce back.
"If you start feeling sorry for yourself in this league, you're going to get sucked into a downward spiral,” he said.
“The mood has been good. We let the players know that Friday night was far from acceptable."
"There's an upper level and a lower level in the league that'll even itself out over time, and we've obviously in that lower section. We need to be taking points off those teams around us."