Glentoran v Carrick Rangers
Saturday 19 August 2017, 3.00pm.
This Saturday we look to continue our encouraging start to the season, at home to Carrick Rangers.
Carrick come to East Belfast hot on the heels of a very encouraging 1-1 home draw with Ballymena on Tuesday night, following on from an opening 2-0 loss to Linfield at the National Stadium.
We defeated Carrick three times last season but there is no room for complacency as a 0-1 home defeat at the same stage last year can be said to have set the tone for the rest of the season.
Rangers’ new manager, David McAlinden has had a busy summer in the transfer market. Out of the club have gone first Teamers Daniel Kelly (now with the Glens of course), Brian Neeson (Cliftonville), Stephen McCullough (Ballymena United), Martin Murray (Warrenpoint Town) and club record appearance record holder Glenn Taggart (Retired). Joining the club have been Chris Trussell (Ballyclare Comrades), Gavin Taggart and Denver Gage (both Ballymena United), Mark Edgar (Coleraine), Ben Roy (Portadown), Sean Fogerty (Bray), Harry Doherty (Finn Harps), Michael McKenna, Michael Smith and Andrew Mooney (all Larne), Stuart McMullan (Ards), Dale Malone (Lurgan Celtic) Mikel Suarez (Crusaders, loan) and Martin Maybin (Colorado Springs Switchbacks). Likely to face us today are former Glentoran players Mark Clarke, Aaron Smyth and Chris Morrow.
Manager Gary Haveron said: “Robbie McDaid should be available for selection for Saturday though Stevie Gordon and Jonathan Smith are still injured but should be back soon.
I’m delighted with how we’ve performed in our two matches so far. Since I came to the club I’ve been emphasising that I would seek to build a team that embodies how supporters feel for our club. We all want a team that's honest, hard working, passionate and not scared to have a go. Nobody is getting carried away with our start to the season but I think that in the first 2 games we've seen at least a glimmer of what has been missing at the oval in recent years. We are very young and learning all the time but I expect every player who wears the shirt to work as hard as they can - that’s the minimum requirement. I'm asking the senior players to lead and take responsibility and so far I think they have all done exactly that. But it's only a good start if we continue to back up the performances so we will work hard as a management team to make sure we maintain the levels of energy and enthusiasm the team plays with and we continue to play to our strengths.
Finally but vitally a word of thanks to every supporter and supporters' club that contributed to the player fund and more recently to the GCT who have very kindly and generously financed the deal for Robbie McDaid. This club simply can’t function without the supporters and supporters clubs that do so much fund raising throughout the year to help the board and myself to put a team on the pitch that we all can be proud off. I believe I think this current young group of players can become just that!”
The Board of Directors at Glentoran Football Club would again request that all supporters travelling to the Oval by private car consider the local residents when deciding where and how to park.
