Old News - December 07
31st Dec 07, 3.45pm. McCabe signs? Dungannon Swifts captain Shane McCabe, who has been linked with the Glens in recent weeks, is behind closed doors at the Oval as I write. I think it's fairly safe to assume the 26 year-old Enniskillen-based midfielder didn't come all the way up here for the leftover turkey ;-) 6pm, JUST CONFIRMED BY BBC - HERE
Fordyce out of Ballymena game - Daryl Fordyce will not feature tomorrow against in-form Ballymena United at the Oval. The Glens midfielder, due to undergo further treatment today, has been diagnosed with a partial tear to a lateral ligament in his left ankle and is heavily strapped and on anti-inflammatories - he's very unlikely to feature at Armagh next weekend either. Gary Hamilton (knee) and Elliott Morris (thigh) are also dodgy and down for treatment today.
30th Dec 07. Morgan completes Newry move ... HERE
Portadown 0 Glentoran 2 - Been a real crap week hasn't it ... Hic! :-)
28th Dec 07. Portadown game - If Boxing Day's victory was long overdue then this one for me runs it a very close second! I've had a quick search for the last time we got a result at Shamrock Park, and from what I can tell we have to go way back to a League match on 22nd Sept 2001 - we've lost 7 and drawn just 1 there since! In fact in 20 encounters since that day the Glens have won just 5 home or away in all competitions (including a certain 6-1 thrashing in the 2004 Irish Cup semi when some fella called Hamilton gave the Ports a 1-nil start ;-) Only twice incidentally in all that time have both sides failed to score. But hey, if we're going to challenge for the title these are the games we need to win aren't they, no point running the dirt ragged one day then rolling over for the bitters in the next game. Confidence should certainly be through the roof though, and hopefully we can keep that wonderful momentum going over the next week or so, when traditionally the "also-rans" tend to drop off the pace. Be interesting to see our old pal Andy Smith strutting his stuff in the Irish League again, albeit for the opposition. Whatever you may think of Mr Smith he'll certainly be out to prove himself in this one, and not just to impress his current employer, BBC are now touting what a very good source told me last week ... that we've now offered him terms! Top placed Cliftonville have a home tie with Limavady, while the Crues pay a visit to the swamp. But three points for the Glens in this one would be a very welcome Christmas bonus indeed, because don't forget, Cliftonville, Portadown and Linfield all have to face each other in their next 3 games, while we have Ballymena, Armagh & Dungannon. Could be gettin interesting ;-) Ballymac's bus will be departing Wilgar Street tomorrow at 1.30pm, and all visitors are once again welcome for our last bus of 2007. Other clubs bus times at the link above. Match Betting: Portadown 19/10, Glentoran 13/10, and a draw 21/10 ...
HALFERS DRAW NOT CLAIMED YET - 660 QUID!! Can everyone please check their pockets for ticket no. 4042 drawn by Darryl Fordyce, as it was not claimed on Boxing Day! Any winner can contact Tommy McKee at 07802 354696.
27th Dec 07. GLENTORAN 1 Linfield 0 - ALL TOGETHER NOW ... JINGLE BELLS JINGLE BELLS JINGLE ALL THE WAY :-) What a difference a few days makes! From the gloom of last Saturday at Solitude, Glentoran turned the form book on it's head yesterday to absolutely swamp bitter rivals Linfield in the biggest game of the season ... and all on LIVE TV! One-nil doesn't even begin to tell the story of this one though, as I must have counted at least 7 or 8 glorious opportunities to have had the game well out of sight long before the final whistle! How Nicky's effort came back off the woodwork and into the keepers arms thon time I'll never know, and as for poor old Kyle Neill? He must be wondering today just what he had to do to score! One cleared agonisingly off the line, hit the keeper in a one on one, and that first half effort high and wide from 4 yards...? Dear oh dear mate ;-) In the end though it mattered little as the Glens took all 3 points thanks to Michael Halliday's header on 65 minutes ... and from a Kyle Neill cross! Hats off though, a tremendous all round performance from the whole side yesterday, a thoroughly well deserved result, and each and every one of them can hold their heads high this morning. If we can carry that sort of form and commitment into the remainder of this season there's no telling what prizes it might bring. Roll on Shamrock Park on Saturday, another one we owe big time. By the way, did yez see the gub on the big fat f ... at the end! PRICELESS!! Ya couldn't bate the smile off my face this mornin :-) Oh happy days. Match highlights HERE.
25th Dec 07. A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OUR VISITORS FROM EVERYONE HERE AT THE BALLYMAC
Linfield game - Match Betting: Glentoran 8/5, Linfield 7/5, and a draw 11/5 ... As tomorrow's game is also going out LIVE on Sky TV, Paddy Power have a fully comprehensive betting sheet available online HERE
24th Dec 07. Cliftonville 4 Glentoran 2 - Fews days late with the update I know folks, but to be perfectly honest it's the first I've been able to bring myself to switch on the PC. Absolutely gutted after that pathetic performance, not even second best. Defence? Yer geggin aren't ye! I see "Gone With The Wind" is on the Movie Channel on Boxing Day at 5. Swear to God ya couldn't make it up! Happy friggin Christmas :-(
21st Dec 07, 10.15am. SANCHEZ SACKED! - Former Northern Ireland manager Lawrie Sanchez has just parted company with English Premiership side Fulham ... taxi for Nigel ?
Cliftonville game - Safe to say I reckon (and no disrespect to the CIS or County Antrim Shield), that not only is this "game of the day" tomorrow, but most probably "game of the season" so far. Top of the table Cliftonville, unbeaten in the Premier League have in fact lost just twice all season, 6-5 on penalties in the CIS Q/Final, and 2-1 to us in the S/Final of the Shield while down to 10 men. A win for the Reds tomorrow would take them 6 points ahead of the Glens in the Title race going into the vital holiday fixtures, while a win for the Glens sees us overtake them on goal difference. Going into this same fixture last season the Glens were actually 3 points better off than now, ironically with exactly the same 10 wins and 2 draws the Reds sit with today. By the end of that game a convincing 4-1 win saw the Glens notch up win number 11 ... and then the wheels came off - just 4 points (one win and one draw) from the next 7 matches effectively ending our interest in last season's competition. Not to put too fine a point on it folks, starting tomorrow, these 5 games over the next 2 weeks will be absolutely crucial for Glentoran FC's Title chances ... because if we manage to blow up again this time round that'll be 3 Christmas nightmares on the trot! I don't know what it is about this time of the year, but it's time it was brought to an end, and frankly no better place to start than Solitude. There'll be nowhere to hide in this one that's for sure, a big crowd and a great atmosphere guaranteed, with 3 points seeing the Glens play for top of the League LIVE on Sky TV come Boxing Day! Here's to a very Merry Christmas Ladies & Gents - we're long long overdue! Ballymac's bus departs Wilgar Street tomorrow at 2.00pm, and all visitors are once again welcome to travel - Other clubs departures can be found at the link above.
Match Betting: Cliftonville 6/4, Glentoran 13/8, and a draw 11/5 ...
20th Dec 07. Ballymac Xmas Ballot Winners ... AT THIS LINK
18th Dec 07. Ballymena Utd ... beat Distillery 2-0 at New Grosvenor to leapfrog them into 4th place, 7 behind the Glens.
Man U & Liverpool for the Oval ...? That's what I hear (well sort of ;-), keep your ear to the ground for more info on something of a unique event in July 2008 .. ;-) Update - Ok folks, this is the gist of it ... HERE
Whites at the Oval in the Irish Cup ... Glentoran have been drawn at home to Lisburn Distillery in the pick of the 5th round ties in this seasons Irish Cup, 3rd versus 4th in the Premier League for the 5th time already this season! Matches take place on January 12th. Full 5th Round draw on the Results page HERE
Programme sales break the 30k mark! Saturday last saw members of the Glentoran Supporters Committee (1923) present another cheque to Glentoran Football Club for £7,500, raised through sales of the multi award winning Glentoran Gazette matchday programme. This brings the total raised by the club in the calendar year to £30,500 - A tremendous effort! Credit to Editor John Moore, his regular contributors, and all the lads who stand out rain, hail or shine to consistently bring us the best read in the Irish League!
16th Dec 07. Glentoran 3 Crusaders 0 - Don't be fooled, we'll take the 3 points, but the Crues must be wondering just what went wrong in this one! Goals from Daryl Fordyce, Michael Halliday, and Gary Hamilton (I think) sealed the Glens victory, but it was hard work indeed and but for the woodwork and a spectacular goalline clearance from Nicky it could have been oh so different. As you were at the top of the table with the rest of the contenders racking up wins as well, we really need to keep hanging in there though. Results and Table pages now updated.
14th Dec 07. Crusaders game - It's one win apiece between the Glens and Crues so far this season, both games coming in knockout competitions, I can't help but wonder though if this League game is the most important of all. The Glens last outting at Limavady was well accepted as a very poor showing indeed ... thing is, I think we all knew it was coming :-( We've huffed and puffed a bit in the last 3 or 4 weeks but been getting away with the points - our luck it seems ran out last Friday. Being a Glentoran fan of course you'll know very well, it's not last Friday's result that concerns us, as much as where the team goes from here. I think tomorrow presents us with an excellent opportunity to lay to rest the ghosts of the past few seasons, a comprehensive display and result against a decent Crusaders side would do wonders for the confidence going into some very tricky fixtures ... never mind settling my own friggin "bangors"! Cliftonville and Linfield both have potential banana skins themselves tomorrow away to Glenavon and Newry, let's get the 3 points on the board and see what happens.
Match Betting: Glentoran 1/2, Crusaders 11/2, and a draw 13/5 ...
13th Dec 07. OH NO ...! NOT YOU TOO JIMBO!!!
First we had Philip Simpson ...
Then it was the U21's and Daryl Fordyce ...
Heaven forbid ...
SURELY now not the Lord Mayor!
Click for more ...
12th Dec 07. Irish League Legends - SOCCER SIXES - One of the first entries into your new 2008 diary is a must see event on Monday 28th January 2008 at Dundonald International Ice Bowl when six teams comprised of some of the greatest Irish League Players from the 80’s and 90’s go head to head in an exciting new Soccer Sixes Tournament, guaranteed to capture the imagination of local supporters. Further details can be had at the Paul Leeman Testimonial link above.
10th Dec 07. New retro Glens Shirt available for Christmas ...
9th Dec 07. GCT throw Xmas bash for 200 East Belfast Pensioners! ... HERE
8th Dec 07. London calling ... Glentoran fan Andrew Murphy has asked me to post an appeal to his fellow London-based Glenmen, to see if any of you fancy a pint and a bit of a yarn before Christmas. He's asking anyone interested to meet this Monday night (10th) from 7.30pm at the Allsop Arms, just south of Regents Park in Gloucester Place. If you want you can drop me a line here at the site and I'll pass your details on. Allsop Arms and Map
7th Dec 07. Limavady Utd 1 Glentoran 0 - First league defeat of the season leaves the Glens in third place ... TABLE
6th Dec 07. 2008 Setanta Cup Draw ... is being made in Dublin at 4.15pm today. Teams are ... Irish Premier League - Glentoran, Linfield, Cliftonville & Dungannon Swifts. League of Ireland - Drogheda Utd, St Pats Athletic, Cork City & Derry City. UPDATE - errr .. looks like the draw could have been put back, possibly til the New Year :-(
Tim McCann retires - Sad news indeed that Tim McCann has announced his immediate intention to retire from League
4th Dec 07. Glens drop to 3rd ... as Cliftonville beat 4th placed Newry City 2-nil to go top ... Table page updated HERE
Limavady game - Just an early reminder that the Ballymac are running a bus to Limavady Utd for this Friday night's re-arranged League game, the 10-day camel ride meaning an early departure time from Wilgar Street of 6.00pm for the 7.45pm kick-off. All visitors are once again very welcome to travel. Please note - Internet GSC have asked me to inform all visitors that they WILL NOT be running a bus to Limavady.
2nd Dec 07. Glenavon 1 Glentoran 2 - Hard work, but at the end of the day 3 more valuable points. A goal down after 65 minutes on a rain-lashed Mourneview Park it must be said things weren't looking too good for our title credentials, but just 6 minutes later Kyle Neill drilled a free kick into the bottom corner to bring the sides level, and when Gary Hamilton was upended inside the box with 10 minutes left to play Colin Nixon stepped up to put the Glens ahead from the spot. Great result given the conditions, but downside of the day had to be the sight of Tim McCann being carried off just before the break with what looked a very serious injury. Fingers crossed it's not a bad as it looked. Results & Table pages now updated
OLDER NEWS... Nov 07 | Oct 07 | Sept 07 | Aug 07 | July 07 | Jun 07 | Season 06/07 | 05/06 | 04/05 | 03/04 | 02/03
football following his injury at Glenavon on Saturday. We will all have many great memories of Tim of course in his 2 spells at the Glens, but the one that stands out above all others for me has to be the night of the County Antrim Shield semi-final againt the great unwashed at the swamp in February 2003. With the teams level at 0-0 after 90 minutes, Tim came off the bench for extra-time, and of course to the familiar chorus of abuse from the opposing teams fans every time he touched the ball. I'll never forget the looks on their faces though when Tim proceeded to lash an 18-yarder into the corner of the net with just 9 minutes left, to win it for the Glens with the 'golden goal'! If the gates had been open that night I reckon he'd still be running :-) I'm sure he remembers that particular one himself. Good luck son, and thanks for the memories.
Glentoran Community Trust have just released their latest 'retro' Glentoran Shirt - the Glens 1982/83 centenary version, as worn by the one and only George Best when he guested for the Glens against Manchester United.
For more information and to order visit the GCTNI.com website.
