Glentoran has announced the appointment of former Premier League performance coach Richard Moore as the club’s new Lead Physical Performance Coach.

This appointment is the latest step in First Team Manager Declan Devine’s strategic plan to professionalise and modernise every aspect of the club’s football operations.

Having previously held senior roles at AFC Bournemouth, Derby County U23s and Houston Dynamo 2, Richard brings more than a decade of elite-level experience in the Premier League and Major League Soccer.

He has a proven track record of enhancing performance standards and building high-performance environments and his arrival at the BetMcLean Oval will elevate how the club prepares its players from physical performance monitoring to athletic development and minimising injury risk.

Richard will work closely with the coaching and medical teams to deliver tailored training programmes, optimise recovery and ensure players are physically ready to perform at their peak throughout the season as the club competes for silverware.

The Carrickfergus-native will combine his new role at Glentoran with his position as Lead Physical Performance Coach at Sports Medicine NI, where he leads the delivery of elite-level performance and rehabilitation services for athletes across multiple sports in Northern Ireland.

Speaking about joining Glentoran, Richard Moore, Lead Physical Performance Coach, said: “I’ve been here a few weeks now and I’m really enjoying settling into the club. From my first conversations with Declan and the coaching team, it was clear there’s a real ambition to continue building an elite environment where players can develop and the team can achieve sustained success.

“I’ve been genuinely impressed by the professional set-up already in place and Declan’s forward-thinking approach to how he wants Glentoran to evolve. The players have been fantastic to work with in terms of their commitment, hunger and willingness to push themselves to be the best they can be.

“My experience in the Premier League and MLS has shown me what high-performance culture looks like in terms of consistency, accountability and excellence in every detail. My focus now is on driving physical standards, supporting the staff and helping each player reach their full potential so we can compete at the highest level.”

Declan Devine, First Team Manager at Glentoran said: “Richard’s appointment is a major step forward for the club. From the outset, our focus has been on building a professional, high-performance culture at Glentoran that gives our players every possible advantage to succeed.

“It’s also important to acknowledge the great foundation Chris Gardiner has put in place during his time here. I want to thank Chris for all the hard work and professionalism he’s shown in helping to raise standards behind the scenes.

“Richard’s background in the Premier League and MLS speaks for itself. He’s worked with top-level athletes, understands what elite preparation looks like and shares the same vision and standards we’re putting in place at Glentoran.

“He’ll make a real impact on how we prepare, recover and perform as a team and that’s exactly what’s needed as we push to compete at the very top.”

Paul Millar, Sporting Director at Glentoran said: “Bringing in a former Premier League performance coach is a clear statement of intent from this football club. If we want to consistently challenge for silverware, we have to match that ambition with the right people, infrastructure and expertise behind the scenes to deliver success on the pitch.

“Richard’s knowledge and experience will raise standards across the board, giving our players every opportunity to perform at their peak and ensuring we’re operating to the highest professional standards.

“We’re determined to do everything we can to give this team the best possible platform for success, and this appointment is another important step in building a club capable of competing where we want to be.”