Glentoran’s commanding centre-back Shane McEleney believes supporters are beginning to see him at his best as the Glens prepare for Saturday’s Sports Direct Premiership clash with Crusaders at Seaview (Kick-off: 3.00pm).

The 34-year-old has delivered three commanding performances at the heart of the defence this season, helping Declan Devine’s side to three consecutive clean sheets and maximum points against Portadown, Bangor and Glenavon.

That perfect start has taken the Glens to the top of the Premiership table, but McEleney insists there is more to come. The experienced defender says the early weeks have underlined the squad’s quality and determination to grind out results, yet he believes both he and the team still have another level to reach as the season develops.

Shane McEleney said: “Since joining Glentoran in January, my time on the pitch has been a bit stop-start. I actually signed in November but couldn’t play until the transfer window opened and then a few niggles meant I never really got the run of games I wanted.

“I made a promise to myself over the summer that I would do everything possible to come back in peak condition and I worked really hard through pre-season. Thankfully, that effort has paid off and I feel like I’ve been able to hit the ground running.

“We’ve had a great start with three wins and three clean sheets and that’s exactly the kind of momentum you want to build early in the season. At the same time, we know we’re only three games in and the key now is consistency.

“Personally, I still feel I have another level to reach in terms of sharpness and rhythm, and as a group we all know there’s more to come. The standards being set in training every single day are outstanding with the intensity, the competition for places and the way everyone is pushing each other. If we keep that mentality and continue demanding the best from each other, we’ll only get stronger as the season goes on.”

Since joining from Derry City in January, McEleney has quickly established himself as a pivotal figure in the Glentoran squad, bringing both experience and authority to a dressing room that continues to evolve under Declan Devine.

The commanding centre-back says he is thriving under the demands of representing a club with such high expectations and is relishing the challenge of helping Glentoran deliver success.

McEleney said: “Glentoran is a massive club and with that comes pressure, but as a player that’s what you want, you want to be tested every single day. Declan, Paddy and Tim drive those standards in training and make it clear what it means to represent this club and that’s something I’ve really bought into since arriving. I’m genuinely enjoying my time here. We’ve got a fantastic group of players, a mix of lads I knew from before and new faces who’ve come in this summer and raised the quality again.

“When you see signings like Daniel Larmour, Liam Burt, Jordan Stewart, Pat Hoban, Ryan Cooney and Peter Urminsky come through the door, it shows the intent of the club. There’s competition in every area of the pitch and that pushes everyone to be better. It’s a great environment to be part of and the goal now is to make sure we turn that into success on the pitch.”

Key to Glentoran’s perfect start has been their defensive solidity, with three consecutive clean sheets laying the platform for early-season momentum with three wins from three.

McEleney believes that strength comes not only from the starting eleven but from the depth and versatility available across the backline.

Shane said: “We’ve been really solid defensively in the opening three games. When you look at the options we have, it gives us real confidence. In the central areas we’ve got Marcus, Daniel, Frankie, Ciaran and myself, while at full-back Ryan, Danny, Jonny and Aaron all bring real quality.

“On top of that, lads like James and Josh are more than capable of stepping in when needed. That depth is massive because over the course of a long season you need competition for places and you need players who can slot in seamlessly when called upon.”

“I also have to mention Andrew Mills, who has come into the team this season and been outstanding. He’s made a string of really important saves already and given the whole backline huge confidence. I’m delighted to see him taking his opportunity and showing what he’s capable of.

“Clean sheets are always a collective effort and everyone has played their part, from front to back. The challenge now is to keep it going. Three wins and three clean sheets is the perfect start, but we need to keep defending as a unit and combine that with the quality we have going forward to give ourselves a real chance of achieving something this season.”

Attention now shifts to Saturday’s short trip across the city, where McEleney knows Glentoran will face a tough challenge against Declan Caddell’s Crusaders.

The North Belfast side have had a mixed start to the campaign, opening with a high-scoring 4–3 home defeat to Carrick Rangers before responding with a 3–1 victory away at Bangor.

With goals in them and Seaview always a difficult venue, McEleney believes the Glens will need to be at their best to extend their winning run.

McEleney concluded: “Going to Seaview is always tough. Crusaders are a very good side and they know how to make it a difficult game for any opponent. They’ve already shown this season that they can score goals and they’ve players who can hurt you if you switch off for even a second.

“That means we’ll have to be fully focused from the very first whistle and ready to stamp our authority on the game. We’ve set high standards in our first three games and it’s about maintaining that consistency. If we defend as a unit, stay organised and play with the same energy and quality we’ve shown so far, we’ll give ourselves the best chance of taking all three points.

“The fans will turn up in their numbers like they always do and they’ll be right behind us from the first minute. That support makes a huge difference and we want to make sure we deliver another win for them.”