Chris Morrow expects to stay with Crusaders for the rest of his career..

The IRN-BRU Cup final hero is playing some of the best football of his long spell at the Shore Road club and this week he picked up the Carling Player of the Month award for January.

The 26-year-old came through the youth ranks at Crusaders and last month he agreed a two-year deal, disappointing several clubs who were chasing his signature.

That decision was vindicated when he scored the winner in the IRN-BRU Cup final to break Coleraine hearts.

Crusaders were also unbeaten in four league matches last month with Morrow netting further goals against Ballymena United and in the Irish Cup win over Warrenpoint Town. Morrow lives in the shadow of the north Belfast venue and it’s a love affair that has some time to run yet.

“This is my tenth season at Crusaders and I believe it could be the only team I ever play for,” said Morrow.

“There is that spirit around the club and you want to be around people like that. I’ve been through it all from relegation to suffering a broken leg but we have returned to the Premiership under Stephen (Baxter) and we haven’t looked back since.

“The squad we have at the minute has the potential to do so much more and I would agree with those who say we are underachieving because every player in the squad knows they are capable of not only challenging teams at the top but overtaking them. We don’t want to be known as a cup side but we are that at the moment.”

Morrow added: “It’s been a great month for me personally — scoring three goals and getting the important one in the cup final. I have upped my work-rate and I’m a very different player with a different mentality now.”

Morrow beat Dungannon Swifts' Sean Friars and Coleraine defender David Ogilby to the monthly gong.

l BARRY Johnston made it four Goal of the Month awards in a row for Cliftonville with his spectacular strike against Dungannon Swifts.