30th Apr 05. New Away Shirt 2005/06 ... apparently! - Well, what do yez think? HERE
29th Apr 05. Ballymac opens 11.30am ... Passes will be required tomorrow to board one of the Ballymac buses to the game. Anyone doesn't book in advance can purchase a bus pass in the clubrooms tomorrow between 12 noon and 1.00pm. Others who have reserved online speak to myself (Jim Welsh) on arrival to collect your pass. Buses will be boarded and depart the clubrooms for Seaview between 1.45pm and 2.00pm. Festivities get underway at noon :-)
Let's do it!
Waterside Glens ... Lost yer flag? - Well good news ... A good samaritan removed your Waterside Glens flag along with his own from the fencing at the Oval last Saturday, to ensure it wasn't trashed by our visiting friends in the melee that followed the game. Anyways, he has it in his possession and will be putting it on display at Seaview tomorrow if the owner wishes to claim it. Somebody let them know :-)
Crusaders game - GAME? ... aye right!
Extra tickets, but get yer finger out! - Glens have just got an extra 400 tickets for Saturday folks, they're now available at the usual outlets (bar the Oval) together with leftovers from the season ticket allocation ... better be quick though!
28th Apr 05. Tommy Sewell's photo's from Saturday now online ... HERE :-)
27th Apr 05. PARTY TIME @ THE BALLYMAC! ... ALL SYSTEMS GO! Gibson Cup Final next week, 3/4 buses, Morning Disco, Balloons, everybody pissed, usual sh*t ;-) Doors open 11.30am, disco starts at noon & buses will probably leave around 2pm. Four quid a head will cover it all - Pre-Match Disco, Return Bus, Welsher with a wig on, those balloons we pretended we bought for the Irish Cup final, "Cheer Up DJ" blatterin out all over 'EAST' 'EAST' 'EAST' BELFAST - you''ll even be able to get ur gub done up red, green & black!
But we need to know how many buses folks, so Email me HERE at the site to reserve your spot, or contact a member directly ASAP - you can pay your 4 quid on the day - HERE WE GO HERE WE GO HERE WE GO ;-)
Update - 2.00pm, IFA website ... "All Irish Premier League fixtures on Saturday 30th April will kick off at 3PM."
Sanity prevails!
**DON'T PANIC** Crusaders tickets will NOT now be arriving at the Oval today until 2.00pm at the earliest, and thereafter be available no sooner than around 3.00pm from 'Dawsons', Westbourne GSC, & the 'Ravenhill Spar'.
Update - 2.00pm, Tickets are now on sale
To our local media, Howard Wells & co ... Read on ... it's not all bad headlines -
"I have been stewarding at our home games for the last number of seasons and I have to commend your fans on their exemplary behaviour and good humour on Monday. I shook hands with one of your lads after the game (a guy with a affro wig) and he was a pure gent. I met some of your fans up town after the match in Fallons pub and they were a grand bunch of lads... like us only interested in football and having a good time. The Setanta Cup is an excellent idea and I can tell you my job was a hell of a lot easier than when some of the Dublin clubs come to play us. Well done again to your well behaved fans... you are a credit to your club and are welcome again in Longford anytime".
... and err ... a slightly different letter - HERE
26th Apr 05, 10.15pm. Seaview - update ... Ok folks, tickets should be going on sale some time tomorrow afternoon. Looks like the 3,500 - 4,000 figure (or thereabouts) remains. Priced £8 Stand and £6 Terracing, they will be available from all the usual outlets, first come first served. Limited concessions at £4 are being made available to Glentoran Supporters Clubs and Season Ticket Holders only. Both Crusaders and Glentoran FC have requested the game remains a 3 o'clock kick-off, although permission still needs to be given from the IFA - hopefully tomorrow. Further ticket information can now be found on the Official Glentoran website.
Seaview? - There's a very nasty rumour doin the rounds this morning that we're gettin 3,500 tickets for the Crues game this Saturday! I do stress it IS still only a rumour, but keep your ear to the ground.
Update - we WILL indeed need tickets, possibly even less than 3,500, the game may even be an early kick-off after all. All the details will be released after a 6 o'clock security meeting tonight between all the relevant parties. Keep an eye online later for updates.
Longford 1 Glentoran 0
25th Apr 05. Oh my friggin head! ...
24th Apr 05. GLENTORAN 3 SCUM 2 :-)
All together now ... "We won the League..." "We won the League... " "We won the League..." "We won the League..."WE WON THE LEAGUE IN EAST BELFAST" ... samba time ... back to the merlot ... where's those RU 21 pills - lock up ur daughters (& Ma's & Golden Retrivers :-)
22nd Apr 05. Gibson Cup Final ? - Let's be honest - that's exactly what this is! Not since 14,000 packed into the swamp for the 2001 Irish Cup Final has there been such an important and eagerly awaited game between the two sides. 4,500 tickets have been allocated to the scum for their fans tomorrow. My advice? Glenmen get there early or you'll miss kick-off - expect upwards of 6,000 + at our end!
Seven months it's been since the Glens lost a game at the Oval, the first League match of the season versus Portadown on September 25th ... but that's the ONLY League game we've failed to win there all season, 13 on the trot it's been since that day - let's keep it that way! And another three points are all that'll do this time folks, our first draw would be no good, there will be no replay or extra time for this one ... 90 minutes - winner take all! Looking back at those 7 long months, those defeats at Portadown, Distillery, and Dungannon. Those two late goals by Limavady, and the Boxing Day draw at the swamp. Five nil drubbings of Larne and Dungannon, and even that winner in the last 5 minutes at Institute a few weeks back ... all water below the bridge now - it all comes down to this. Who'll play in this one is anybody's guess, and by and large it'll probably come down to whoever's fit. Doubts remain over Walker, Leeper & McGibbon, SAS of course is suspended, but even Locky's being muted to come off the treatment table to play some part! At the end of the day though, whoever gets the nod, if each of them play to their ability, then I have no doubt we'll be breaking the crowd records at Seaview next week and playing for that Title! So come on you Glens, and come on you fans, together we know we can do this ... I feel another samba comin on ... Let's have a helluva weekend! Le Jeu Avant Tout ... & FTB
Match Betting: Glentoran 6/4, linfield 7/4, and a draw 21/20. All odds supplied by TOALS bookmakers.
21st Apr 05. More seats for Longford ... we're gonna need a bigger ground! - Raven GSC now have another 15 spaces left on their Longford bus, leaving the Raven at 2.30pm - interested parties should contact 07866 298502.
ps. be interesting to see how the Eircom League side do at home to Shelbourne tonight - ko 7.45 (Longford lost 2-0)
BTW - Avoid a hangover for the lengthy Longford trip ... STAY DRUNK AFTER SATURDAY :-)
20th Apr 05. Saturday's League game? Bring it on ... Thought I'd sleep on last nights game before commenting. Conclusion I've come to is that despite the outcome and all else that went on, I don't think it'll have any relevance whatsoever with regard to Saturday ... assuming the manager was paying attention! The only decision I believe he got right all night was when he took Holmes and Keegan off at half-time! Shaun Holmes may be many things, but a centre-half most definitely isn't one of them, the first 25 minutes of last nights game was absolute chaos in the Glentoran defence, I reckon he gave Nicky two black eyes! Kevin Keegan? Well to be honest that wonder goal against the scum in the Irish Cup must now seem a million miles away. Kevin's confidence looks to be at an all-time low, head down and drooped shoulders last night really said it all - what a pity for the Glens pacy winger, it's just not happening ... the booh-boys had a field day. As for the game itself, well the first two goals were self-inflicted, and quite frankly it could have been more. We really were at 6's and 7's at the back, but to be honest had Morgan (twice) and Keegan done better when presented with chances at the other end we might even have gone in ahead at half-time!
Changes HAD to be made, and the aforementioned Keegan and Holmes were replaced by Halliday and young Glens Seconds centre-half Philip Simpson. The big lad Simpson did look a bit raw at times, but was Sol Campbell compared to Shaun Holmes! The Halliday change paid instant reward, 2 minutes he was on when he got a toe to Chris Morgans cross and the Glens were back in the game. Chances came our way to level after that as we started to up the ante, but with half an hour to go the scums Aidan O'Kane hit a speculative ground shot from all of 30 yards, Elliott Morris had it well covered but poor Philip Simpson stuck out a toe to deflect the ball into the opposite empty corner of the net. Completely against the run of play it really was hard to take. Laugh of the night then came when sub Mr Ed sent SAS sprawling in the Glens 18 yard area. On rising to his feet SAS gave the man with the long face a look to die for - and die Picking surely would if Fester hadn't promptly sent the wee shit 'galloping' across to the opposite wing to hide for the rest of the game!
A superb Gavin Melaugh free-kick made it 3-2 with around 5 minutes to go, and we had a bit of a late rally for the closing minutes, but it all proved too little too late as the Glens slumped to their first defeat of the competition.
So, two games each played, two each left to play, and all teams level on 3 points. Still all to play for
19th Apr 05. scum 3 Glentoran II's 2 - Quite surreal at times this one, smallish crowd, Shaun Holmes at centre-half, outrageous og, dodgy penalty - missed, the usual Kevin Keegan gaff ... certainly didn't feel like a cup match to me - and to be perfectly honest I didn't even feel that pissed off at the finish! Think I'll leave the analysis of this one till the morning.
ps - got a whimper big Walker's wrecked for Saturday :-(
Well I was nearly right ;-) ... Sadly for all you punters who can't make it to the Oval on Saturday my wee birdy got it wrong ... slightly! The big-two league match will not after all be shown LIVE, but apparently it WILL be given an hours extended highlights on a 5pm UTV sports special on Sunday! BallymacGSC.com - No BULL and No BLUE! :-)
Setanta Cup-Tie - Second 'Cup-Final' in three days (although in my opinion the least important of the six). A Glentoran win tonight, then even a draw near does us next Monday at Longford to all but qualify for the final, a defeat however and it's neck-and-neck for all three teams with two to play. This is gonna be a strange one to call, the fact both sides will have two games left to play means all is not lost for either team given a share of the spoils tonight. I don't care what either manager says, Saturday's big League encounter will undoubtedly be a factor on everyones mind tonight, the longer this one goes on level the more likelyhood it'll finish that way. Players WILL be rested on either side, regardless of rumblings from Setanta. Paul Leeman certainly won't start if there's any doubt he could miss Saturday, and I'm sure there will be similar concerns among the scum. Having said all that, this IS a big-two derby, no-one likes to lose these games.
I certainly wouldn't expect an easy ride ... fact is if the scum lose this one they're as good as out of the competition.
So here we go, wouldn't have it any other way, even the rain's stopped. Don't forget folks, early 7.15pm kick-off tonight.
18th Apr 05. Pssssst ... I wonder could Saturday's crunch league match be shown LIVE on the box ... sssshhhhhh ;-)
Still thinking of going to Longford? - Ballymac buses are full of course, but Internet GSC now have extra spaces.
The club are now taking 2 buses to the game and have 30 seats left to fill. The plan is for the first coach to leave the PAH around 1pm and the second 2pm, with both meeting at The Longford Arms where they have arranged a carvery for 7 euro.
Price of the trip is £22 which includes match ticket. You can email internetgsc@hotmail.com to book or for further info.
17th Apr 05. Ballymena Utd 0 Glentoran 3 - One down - five to go. Absolutely delighted with the team after that display folks, the contrast between that bus home yesterday and the Dungannon one ... well, don't even go there!! Carry that commitment into the next 3 weeks or so and we could have the lot sitting in the Oval trophy cabinet! Would'a done a match report myself for this one folks, but it seems that other rocket Fear Us was up all night and beat me to it :-( Must get that alarm fixed ...
15th Apr 05. Ballymena game - Ever heard the expression 'sh*t or bust'? The first of those 6 cup finals I spoke of. No Locky once again for this one of course, but with a little luck Leeper will be fit enough to play ... there's no point resting players now, put quite simply anything other than a win tomorrow and we can forget it. Onwards and upwards though, 3 points and the pressure's on the scum going into that big clash at the Oval next week ... let's not make it easy for them.
Let's get right behind the wee Cock 'n Hens for this one folks, remember, just three more wins and we're Champions!
Ballymac's bus leaves Wilgar Street at 1.30pm if any of you fancy coming along ... other buses at the link above.
Match Betting: Glentoran 4/6, Ballymena 4/1, and a draw 23/10. All odds supplied by TOALS bookmakers
14th Apr 05. SAS out for 2 games - As feared Mark Glendinning has picked up a 2 match ban in the latest round of suspensions dished out by the IFA Disciplinary Committee. SAS's ban begins this coming Monday (18th April), meaning this Saturday's game at Ballymena with be the Glentoran 'Player of the Year's' final action in this season's Premier League. The ban does not apply to Setanta Cup games.
Ballymena ... game on! - Todays Belfast Telegraph quotes Ballymena United club secretary Don Stirling as refuting any suggestion this weekends League match will be postponed or relocated. "Saturday's match will definitely go ahead," he explained. "There were a few cars that strayed onto the pitch last Friday night but it was used last Saturday for the Youth Cup semi-final." "There was some damage caused but Ballymena Borough Council's Parks Department has carried out remedial work and the surface is perfectly playable for Saturday."
No ticket reqd - It's 'pay at the gate' for both the upcoming games with the scum. £10 and £5 for the Setanta Cup-Tie at the swamp on April 19th, and £8 and £6 for the April 23rd League game at the Oval (at which seasons tickets are valid).
13th Apr 05. Time to rally behind the troops ... Our whole season now all boils down to this ... 4 weeks & 6 games. Saturday 16th April to Saturday 16th May - 3 League fixtures and 3 Setanta Cup ties, after that we can decide.
And every single one of them is going to be a Cup Final.
16th April Ballymena League (a) - A must win game for us to keep our title hopes alive, but remember the Sky Blues are neck and neck with Distillery for that Intertoto Cup spot in Lithuania.
19th April Linfield Setanta Cup (a) - The first of a 4-day double-header, a point or better keeps us top of the group, a defeat sends us bottom.
23rd April Linfield League (h) - Dependant on April 16th results a potential title decider. Victory at the Oval and we could be just 90 minutes away from the Gibson Cup ... defeat is simply unthinkable!
25th April Longford Setanta Cup (a) - Should we have gotten our point a week ago at the swamp, a victory here puts the Eircom League side out of the competition, defeat and it could be us!
30th April Crusaders League (a) - Decision day. A win could see us Champions, but the Crues will still be locked in battle with Ards or Omagh Town to avoid that relegation or dreaded play-off spot.
16th May Linfield Setanta Cup (h) - Last group match, Longford will have already played all their games - the Setanta Cup Final awaits on May 21st ... this is the semi-final.
So there you have it folks, there are many other permutations of course, but what a finish to the season it could be.
No-one is more disappointed than me with our recent form, going out of the Irish Cup and missing out on going top of the table at Dungannon. You'll be well aware that I am no shrinking violet when it comes to calling it like it is ... but now is most certainly not the time.
In just 4 short weeks we could be crowned Irish League Champions, be looking forward to a trip to Dublin for the Setanta Cup Final, and be looking forward to a June draw in the preliminary round of the Champions League. Not to mention Glentoran Football Club would be better off to the tune of over £200,000 in prize money alone!
Well if all that doesn't happen they won't be able to blame me. Time for us Glentoran fans to band together, time for us to forget the past 3 or 4 weeks, time for each and every one of us to get behind the team.
Imagine where we could all be in just 4 short weeks time ...
Le jeu avant tout.
SAS ... BallymacGSC Player of the Year - Mark Glendinning has been voted the Ballymac GSC 'Player of the Year' at Monday nights AGM, Sean Ward the 'Young Player' version. An outstanding season and 11 goals from a left-back to boot, it's hard to believe the rumour-mill had SAS vacating the Oval during last summer! Only given a years contract back then, surely the wee man has earned himself at least another season at the Oval. Well done to them both.
12th Apr 05. Longford trip - Just to update travelling fans on our forthcoming trip to Longford. It has been noted by the club that Linfield fans were requested to travel through Enniskillen for their Setanta Cup-tie last week, in order to meet at the border with a Garda escort to Longford. As of yet Glentoran fans have received no such requests by the PSNI/Garda, but given the uncertainty Ballymac's buses will be departing Wilgar Street at 3 o'clock sharp. Further updates will be posted here as more information becomes available.
11th Apr 05. Glentoran 3 Omagh Town 0
8th Apr 05. Longford Match Tickets - Tickets for the Setanta Cup game will go on sale at our home game with Omagh Town tomorrow. Before the match and at half-time only. Priced £10/£5. Thereafter they will also be available from:
Dawsons Newsagency, Belmont Road (opposite Belmont Bethany Fish & Chip Shop)
Westbourne Glentoran Supporters Club, Solway Street (Off Newtownards Road)
The Spar, Ravenhill Road (Opposite My Ladys Road)
A final opportunity to buy will be at our home game with Linfield on Saturday 23rd April.
Remember - if you are travelling on one of the Ballymac buses you STILL need to purchace your own match ticket.
7th Apr 05. Omagh Town game - Doin this one early folks, can't be there this weekend ... been invited to represent 'Rest in East' at the wedding ;-)
Ok, here we go ... do we need to win this one or WHAT! Not only do we need to virtually condemn poor old Omagh to first division football next season, but in my opinion we need to do it in style! Ok a 1-nil win and 3 points still keeps us in the hunt, but I reckon we need to bang in the goals - not simply to pep up our inferior 'goal difference', but without a goal now in 3 games confidence must be at an all time low ... and believe me now's not the time for that crap! On paper this one should be 'shooty-in', but remember Omagh will be desperate to get something from the game to keep their hopes of survival alive. So what sort of line-up does Coyler have planned for this start? I said it after Dungannon and I stand by it, personally I believe the Manager's got it wrong in each of our last three games. Only my opinion of course, but I think he has the team playing far too defensively, and the frustration from players and fans alike is there for all to see. Dunno whether Shaun Holmes will re-join the squad, don't even know if he'd get on, but I imagine every single one of them should be bustin their b**** to play after those Irish Cup Semi's. We need a big showing this weekend lads, and boy we need it
BIG TIME. In a way I'm nearly glad I won't be there - Bangors are completely shot as it is!
I'll be on Charlie's Royal half-uns from 3 ;-)
Bookie obviously hasn't watched us in a while ... Match Betting: Glentoran 1/5, Omagh Town 11/1, and a draw 9/2.
All odds supplied by TOALS bookmakers.
6th Apr 05. Still depressed ...
5th Apr 05. Portadown 1 Glentoran 0 - Depressing or what :-(
Portadown replay - Here we go again, we're gonna have to do this one the hard way folks aren't we? We'll we can certainly play better than we did on Saturday that's for sure, although who'll play in this one ...! Shaun Holmes leaving the field before half-time didn't look good, and will the gaffer start with Halliday this time? My guess is he will. So, 90 minutes away from a Final against Larne, barring extra time that is, you've gotta believe we're good enough, just that wee bit of luck tonight and I believe we'll be there yet again. Let's get the job done this time.
Ballymac bus leaves Wilgar Street at 6.45 for the 7.45 kick-off folks, you're all very welcome to come along.
4th Apr 05. Setanta Cup Result - Longford Town 2 linfield 1 ... oh dear ;-) (report)
Longford Bus - Sorry folks, Ballymac's two buses to Longford on April 25th are now full. The club have currently no plans to run a third, any change of heart and I'll let you know.
2nd Apr 05. Glentoran 0 Portadown 0 - gotta say folks at the end of the day I'll settle for that, we weren't at our best. Replay Tuesday, back at the swamp 7.45pm, and the Ballymac bus goes at 6.45.
A Mark Dickson penalty kick means the mighty Larne await in the May 7th Final ... funny old game eh ;-)
1st Apr 05. Portadown game - Not a lot to say about this one really is there, an Irish Cup Semi-Final against a team we have yet to beat this season. For one the glamour of that carnival day out in May, for the other ... :-( But heh, it IS the Irish Cup isn't it, AND IT'S OURS! - just ask Portadown what happened the last time they tried to take it away from us! :-)
Mon the wee Cock n' Hens, I haven't been to an Irish Cup Final in Months! Le jeu avant tout.
