Glentoran Football Club is delighted to announce the signing of former Crewe Alexandra right-back Ryan Cooney on a free transfer.

The 25-year-old defender arrives at the BetMcLean Oval on a two-year contract and is the club’s fifth new arrival of the summer transfer window.

The Manchester-born defender joins Liam Burt, Jordan Stewart, Pat Hoban and Daniel Larmour as the latest addition to a Glentoran squad being shaped by manager Declan Devine to challenge for silverware in the 2025/26 season.

With over 250 senior appearances in English football, Cooney began his career at Bury, making 29 appearances before moving to Morecambe, where he played 128 times and helped the club secure promotion from League Two in 2021.

He joined Crewe Alexandra ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, featuring 47 times in his debut season and adding a further 43 appearances last term as the club secured a top-half finish in League Two.

Discussing the move to the BetMcLean Oval, Ryan Cooney said: “I am absolutely delighted to join Glentoran. After speaking with Declan and Paul, I was really impressed by the ambition of the club and the clear vision they had for my role in the squad.

“I also spoke to Dylan Connelly, who had nothing but good things to say about the club. He talked about the quality of the training, how brilliant the lads are and how if I gave everything for the badge, the fans would get behind me. That really stuck with me.

“When I visited the BetMcLean Oval and met the squad and staff, I knew straight away this was the right move. The professionalism of the entire set-up, from strength and conditioning to nutrition and performance analysis, is top class.

“I am here to work hard, show what I can do and make a big impression with my performances. I cannot wait to get started, build my fitness and help Glentoran push for silverware this season.”

Declan Devine, First Team Manager at Glentoran, said: “Ryan is a player we identified early and carried out detailed background work on before making our move. He came highly recommended and the scouting reports, performance analysis and data compiled by our lead analyst all pointed to a player with the quality, mentality and experience to succeed at Glentoran.

“He has played consistently at a strong level in the English Football League and possesses exactly the type of attributes we want in a player. He is athletic, technically very good and has a real hunger to keep improving and achieve success.

“Ryan is an excellent defender with outstanding positional awareness and a natural willingness to support the attack. We believe he will bring balance, energy and added quality to our right-hand side and slot seamlessly into the way we want to play.

“We are delighted to welcome him to the club and I have no doubt he will be a valuable addition to the squad both on and off the pitch.”

The arrival of Ryan Cooney marks the latest step in Glentoran’s summer recruitment plans.

Alongside the signings of Liam Burt, Jordan Stewart, Pat Hoban and Daniel Larmour, the club has also secured new contracts for key players including club captain Marcus Kane, midfielders Josh Kelly and Charlie Lindsay, and top goalscorer Jordan Jenkins.

A number of promising academy graduates have also committed their futures to the club, with Jude Johnson, Ciaran Rogers Duffy and Cal Weatherup all signing their first professional contracts.

Paul Millar, Sporting Director at Glentoran, said: “We are absolutely delighted to bring Ryan to Glentoran. He made it clear he was excited by the ambition of the club and eager to be part of what we are building. He has the right character, the right experience and the hunger to succeed at this football club.

“Ryan attracted interest from a number of clubs, so we are pleased to have acted decisively to secure his signature. His experience in the English Football League, combined with the consistency he has shown in recent seasons, makes him a significant addition to the squad. He fits the profile of player we are targeting and complements Declan’s style of football.

“I would like to thank our owner Ali Pour once again for his continued support in making this deal happen. With his backing, we remain focused on strengthening key areas of the squad.”