Dumbarton’s Chris Turner, who has played against Partizan Belgrade, Spurs, POAK Salonika and Rubin Kazan in Europe, cannot wait to face Queen of the South tomorrow.
The Sons midfielder was in Shamrock Rovers’ midfield as they ousted Belgrade in the Qualifying Round in 2011 before coming up against the giants from England, Greece and Russia in the group stages.
He is out to help Dumbarton into the play-offs and his side will take control of their promotion destiny with a win over the Dumfries side who presently sit fourth on goal difference.
Turner said: “Queen of the South losing to Raith on Tuesday makes this a really, really exciting game. It is one that we are all looking forward to. We had a group chat on our phones on Tuesday after training where the boys were updating each other and it was great to hear Raith had gone 3-2 up.
We talk about promotion, of course we do, and it is alright to ‘dare to dream’. The Queen of the South game is the start of 3 very tough games as after them we have both Hamilton and Dundee who are going for the title.”
“From the outside some people may see our challenge as a surprise but we don’t.”
“We knew at the start of the season that we had good players in the dressing room so we are not too surprised. Hopefully we can get into fourth by winning this one.”
Turner knows that a win guarantees nothing as he explained: “Nothing will be decided in this game.
We have 3 massive games coming up starting with the one against Queen of the South. We have had chances to get in the top four and stay there before but have slipped up. We have the chance to kick on again and hopefully we can take it.”
The Doonhamers have had the upper hand on the Sons this season with Turner explaining: “They are 2-1 up on us in terms of wins. We won at their place and they have won home and away so it would be very nice to even things up.”
It was talk of relegation not promotion that surrounded Dumbarton when Turner first arrived in the autumn of 2012. After being promoted via the play-offs the Bet Butler side was having a miserable campaign in the First Division.
The Sons only won once in their opening 13 games and Turner said: “It is very different to when I first joined and a lot of things have changed for the better. Things are getting done to a far higher professional standard and that is down to the manager Ian Murray and his assistant Jack Ross who do a great job.”
When I first came here it was a horrible spell and I could not get going to help out. I had a suspension to serve from the time playing in Ireland. It was frustrating and we had a poor time of things losing 10 of the first 13 games.”
“The turnaround is down to the manager and the boys that are here.”
Being stuck in a relegation fight was a change for Turner after his couple of seasons with Shamrock Rovers that included their fantastic European adventure.
“I had two Scottish connections there with the managers being Michael O’Neil, who was a player here in Scotland a long time and then manager at Brechin,” said Turner before adding: “And Stephen Kenny was also my boss there and he had been in charge at Dunfermline.”
Turner said: “It was different at Shamrock Rovers in many ways as they were always competing to win things. They were expected to win whereas at Dumbarton the pressure is different. There is not the same expectation that every game will be won and that takes a bit of getting used to.”
“It felt with Shamrock that everything was on the line every week whereas at Dumbarton you get to play with a bit more freedom. You can express yourself a bit more without the fans wondering where you are going with things.”
That freedom has produced a side that has been involved in games with the most goals for, and against, in the Championship this season.
Turner said: “Goalscoring has never been a problem for us but keeping them out at the other end has been. However over the last few months we have become a lot better at that.”
The 27 year old was no stranger to Scottish football when he signed for the Sons as he was once a player for Partick.
After starting his career with Derby County Turner played with Sligo Rovers and Bohemians before joining the Jags in 2008.
He only played in three games and Turner said: “This is my second stint in Scottish football and whilst I had 6 months with Partick Thistle my career there never really kicked off. I never established myself under Ian McCall.”
He returned over the Irish Sea to Dundalk as he explained: “I went back and signed for Sean Connor who was my manager at Bohemians and started enjoying my football again. However it was hard going for my wife and my boy.”
“My wife is from the west of Scotland and never really settled as they were living in the north, where I am from, but I was down most of the time in Dublin or travelling backwards and forwards. She eventually decided to return home and I opted to find a club in Scotland.”
A Dundalk connection helped with Turner explaining: “I had kept in touch with James Creaney who I played with at Dundalk. He was at Dumbarton by this time and I asked him to ask the manager at the time Alan Adamson if he would be interested in me playing for them.”
“Things moved on from there and I joined Dumbarton a few weeks later. Shamrock were not keen for me to be released but when I explained the circumstances they eventually agreed. And here I am nearly 2 years later and really enjoying both family and football life.”
That enjoyment will be increased with a win this weekend and Turner said: “At this stage of the season we are facing three Cup finals. We know that if we win this game then the ball is in our court in the remaining two.”
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