OLD NEWS - Feburary 2006
26th Feb 06. GLENTORAN SOCCER COACHING SCHOOL
The soccer coaching school for 7 - 12 year olds will be resuming on Sunday 12th March, and with the exeption of Easter Sunday (16th April) will run every Sunday until the end of the season. The coaching is as usual completely free. Any new entrants should report to the Milk Bar for 10.30am, accompanied by a parent for registration purposes. Members already registered should report before 10.45am. The coaching takes place at the nearby King George Playing fields and will end at approximately 12.30pm. All children should have boots, shin guards and appropriate clothing for the weather.
25th Feb 06. Glentoran 3 Institute 1 - Morgan 12 mins & 59 mins, and Browne 70 mins, after the Glens had fallen behind to a 3rd minute Andrew Sproule opener. Results and Table pages now updated.
BTW, Limavady drew 2-2 at home to linfield today, thanks to Stephen Parkhouse setting one up and scoring himself!
24th Feb 06, 10.00pm. Dungannon and Ballymena have drawn 2-2 tonight to leave the Glens a point clear in 3rd place with a game in hand on both. League Table updated at the link above.
CHRIS WALKER BENEFIT - SPORTSMANS DINNER
Anybody wishing to book seats for the Sportsman's Dinner and Auction to be held in the Park Ave Hotel on Saturday 18th March should do so as soon as possible, seats are £35 each (table of 10 £350). The night consists of a 4 course meal, compere for the evening Joel Taggart and after dinner speaker Gene Fitzpatrick with another speaker/entertainer a possibility and many sporting items to auctioned. Dress for the evening is informal (shirt and tie).
Anybody wishing to book seats should contact either myself on 07886337857 or Chris on 07877565519 as soon as possible as numbers must be known for meals etc. William Cameron - Secretary
22nd Feb 06. Glens hit with £16,000 fine for 'Morgan Day'! ... HERE
20th Feb 06. Shelbourne 3 Glentoran 0 - If Paul Millar and wee Andy didn't know what they'd taken on with this job they certainly will now. Just as we'd all secretly feared, another friggin whoppin, and by a team who's season doesn't even kick off for 3 weeks! On the evidence of this display I think we can safely say goodbye to yet another Setanta Cup. Only saving grace tonight was the 1-1 draw at the swamp between the other two teams in the group. Roll on the summer :-(
Coyler signs up at the Marshes ... HERE
19th Feb 06. Shelbourne game - All roads lead to Dublin for the second year of the Setanta Cup ... let's just hope the Glens can put up a better showing than they did last time round eh! Last season we kicked off with a 2-1 home win over Longford Town ... and promptly lost the next 3 games tamely to finish bottom of the group! Couldn't be much more of a contrast this time round could it, last year the Glens were galloping towards the League Title, League Cup already in the bag, while nowadays we're clinging onto third place in the league for dear life, League Cup already gone, and the most successful manager in the clubs' history on the dole! I think we'd all be absolutely delighted with a 2-1 win to start this seasons competition again wouldn't we ... secretly though I reckon most of us would be happy to come away without a tanking :-( Well you just never know, and bear in mind Shelbourne haven't played a competitive game yet. Big Windy's absent from tomorrow nights' tie, leaving Andy Mathieson in charge (nip yourself Andy). Who's to say our season couldn't start here eh? Well I suppose it's gotta start somewhere ... anyway, here's hoping! Kick-off for this one's 7.45pm, and Ballymac's bus departs Wilgar Street at 2.00pm (bookings only). (And do try to stay off the statues ;-)
Results and League Table pages now updated.
18th Feb 06. Cliftonville 1 Glentoran 1 - Gary Browne free kick on 15, only to be cancelled out with the equaliser 8 minutes later. Chris Morgan even managed to miss a penalty, hitting Reds keeper Straney on the legs! Three points adrift of second placed Portadown now - 9 games left to play.
17th Feb 06, 12.35pm. Andy Mathieson ... the new assistant manager?
16th Feb 06. Cliftonville game - Gonna be interesting this one isn't it, new manager an all. One thing's for sure, if you're not fully committed to the shirt up at Solitude you'll soon be found out ... and should be shown the door if big Windy's gonna be the man! (I'll give you a chance Paul coz you won me fifty quid with that injury-time winner against Coleraine in the Irish Cup - nonetheless, the very very best of luck ;-) Don't know what else to say really, except I reckon we'll know in about 3 weeks if this board have made the right decision - I hope for the sake of Glentoran Football Club this doesn't turn out to have been another upstairs pissin contest! Ballymac bus leaves Wilgar Street at 2.15pm.
Match Betting: Cliftonville 2/1, Glentoran 6/5, and a draw 11/5. All odds supplied by TOALS bookmakers
15th Feb 06. Ooops - Did I forget to tell yez Paul (Windy) Millar got the managers job?
... oh aye, and we play Portadown in the Irish Cup after they beat Dungannon Swifts 3-1 last night in a 6th round replay. (Bear with me, it's been a long week :-)
13th Feb 06. A little light reading ... HERE
Tom Neill ... has of last Tuesday night resigned his position as a Director of Glentoran FC for 'personal reasons'. Former Director Cecil McKeag has been co-opted in his place.
12th Feb 06. Giz a job ... ? "Nicky Law had his application to manage Hucknall Town of the Conference North turned down this week ..." Ballymac messageboard. Read into it whatever you like ;-)
11th Feb 06. For Sale? - So who's this mystery money-man Roddy Collins is hinting at ... HERE & HERE
Glentoran 1 Ballyclare Comrades 0 - Roddy Collins was in the stand today to watch this one, and he must have been REALLY impressed! Pedestrian stuff from start to finish. As for our finishing? At least 5 one-on-ones today, of which Locky missed 1, Morgan missed 2, and substitute Jamie Reed missed another. For the record Peter McCann got the all important winner on about 25 minutes, after great work by Michael Halliday to set him up. Otherwise? Complete and utter dross! One final thought - wasn't able to participate with the err ... liquid refreshments in the Premier Lounge today (on bloody antibiotics), so was forced to watch the Glens in complete soberiety for probably the first time this season ... JEEEZUSS ... IS IT LIKE THAT EVERY FRIGGIN WEEK!!!
10th Feb 06. Ex Glenman Roddy Collins ... has made a major plug for the Oval job on todays' lunchtime Radio Ulster news, "Glentoran are a big club and I believe can go places, I can also bring the financial backing to help make that happen". "There appears to have been a problem with my CV, but I believe the club finally received it yesterday".
As to other options? More on Maccers ... HERE
Best wishes ... to Paul Leeman, who goes through the operation to repair his damaged shoulder today.
Update, 3.00pm: Just heard from Leeper - through the Op and all went well.
Ballyclare game - First Division Ballyclare Comrades stand between the Glens and a place in the last 8 of this seasons' Nationwide Irish Cup tomorrow. For the record, Ballyclare have to date reached the quarter-finals of the Carnegie League Cup (having topped their group they then lost 3-1 to H&W Welders), and currently lie 7th in the First Division winning only 3 of their 11 games played. They reached this stage of the Irish Cup courtesy of a 4-nil win over Ballynure Old Boys.
Match Betting: Glentoran 1/6, Ballyclare 14/1, and a draw 9/2. All odds supplied by TOALS
9th Feb 06. Another one bites the dust...? Alan McDonald has joined QPR to assist new manager Gary Waddock on the coaching staff. Waddock says "Alan's a fully qualified coach who has worked at international level and he's just come back from Israel with the Northern Ireland U21 squad. He will arrive at Harlington tomorrow and will be 'on duty' for Saturday's home game against Millwall."
Michael O'Neill ... "thanks but no thanks, work commitments" :-(
8th Feb 06, 6.25pm. Walker says NO! - Citing the commitment he felt was needed to do the job properly, Roy Walker has declined the managers job at Glentoran FC. We will all have different opinions on the breaking news ... but between you and me, and no disrespect to Roy, quite frankly I'm delighted. More HERE
7th Feb 06. So who's it to be then? Take your pick from the media frenzy ... Roy Walker (already been offered the job), Alan McDonald, Richard Hill (Tranmere), Nicky Law (ex Bradford City), Roddy Collins (ex Carlisle & Shamrock Rvrs), Pat Dolan (ex St Pats & Cork City), A N Other (ex Porto & Boavista - I kid you not), Homer Simpson, & Tom Dick ;-)
Who do you believe ... You may have seen Coyler's interview last night by Neil Brittan on UTV, unfortunately given the restricted time slot it was impossible to show it all, and some VERY important stuff was left out.
I on the other hand HAVE heard the full tape, and I've included a few lines below for your own consideration ...
Neil Brittan: "Roy, there are stories that you left because of abuse directed towards yourself and your family by supporters, what do you have to say about that"?
Roy Coyle: "I'm absolutely shocked! I certainly wasn't aware of anything like that, it's sad if that's what some people are thinking". There's a lot more than that on the tape of course, but I just thought I'd share the above, in case anyone had been mislaid recently into believing otherwise. As I say, who do you believe. Many thanks to UTV for their assistance.
6th Feb 06. Better late than never ... Coyler's article in the Sunday Life - HERE
CHRIS WALKER BENEFIT - SPORTMANS DINNER
The Chris Walker Benefit Committee have organized a sportmans dinner (4 course meal) and auction to be held in the Park Ave Hotel (Althorpe Room) on Saturday March 18th.
The compere for the evening will be Joel Taggart with Gene Fitzpatrick as the main speaker, we are also hoping to have a third speaker for the night. Tables of 10 cost £350 with individual seats priced at £35. These can be booked by contacting myself on 07886337837 or by contacting any other committee member.
Dress for the evening is not formal but shirt and tie. More details for the night will follow as soon as confirmed.
William Cameron, Secretary
5th Feb 06. Glentoran 3 Coleraine 0 - Very welcome indeed of course, but don't be fooled ... whoever takes this job on will have some serious friggin work to do, this team could play their current football on a pitch 30 foot wide!
Sorry to be so short folks, got a Glentoran Community Trust meeting today. BTW, have you seen Coylers retort in the Sunday Life yet? Quality stuff, I'll stick it on here when it appears online. (I had the Glens in my bet ... did you? :-)
3rd Feb 06. It's Jim Rodgers turn this time ... "Abuse of Roy and his family from the fans forced him out, we (the board) done all we could to keep him!" Are these people for real? What is it with Radio Ulster's 'Talkback' show ...!!! Click the following link and wind the player forward 45 minutes to listen ... HERE
Coleraine game - Time to put up now or ship out! Nobody in particular and everyone, and not just the players - if the shoe fits ...! Now Coyler's away there's no place left to hide anymore. If he was the problem we shall soon find out, we shall equally soon find out if he wasn't. There's a second spot and European qualification to be had in this League, an Irish Cup to play for and the Setanta, the season begins here. Anyone who isn't up for it don't let the door hit you up the ar$e on the way out, Glentoran Football Club is bigger than any of you. Assistant manager Tommy Kincaid takes charge tomorrow for the visit of Coleraine, in what I fully expect will be a temporary position. I've heard quite a few names bandied about as a possible replacement for Roy Coyle over these last weeks, but at this stage it's safe to say your guess is as good as mine. Whoever takes up the job, (and I hope we choose VERY carefully), they will need the full support of us the fans if we are to turn this nightmare around. If you're a Glenman nothing more should need to be said. Let's do it. Match Betting: Glentoran 5/6, Coleraine 3/1, and a draw 9/4. All odds supplied by TOALS ... (yesterday morning)
If the Glens are still 5/6 tomorrow get them in your bet!
2nd Feb 06. ROY COYLE RESIGNS
Maybe not the way we all expected in the end, but the only possible outcome nonetheless. A manager's fortunes can change in the wink of an eye. Since King of East Belfast last April 23rd, when we as good as clinched the title over the auld enemy on one of the happiest days of my life, the team had gone into freefall. After a disastrous season (and I mean season, we've been shocking and were found out big time over this last few months), Coyler's position as the man in charge had become untenable. It doesn't help when you've been embarrasingly outplayed by Linfield 3 times in 6 weeks, but when you then succumb at home to Ballymena & Limavady, then away to Dungannon, before a 5-2 humiliation at Armagh ... one way or the other he had to go. Rumours were also rife of fall-outs and dressing room unrest, while fans were becoming more and more perplexed with team selections and baffling formations. Despite the side being ravaged by injury, questions were being asked of the quality of players brought in to supposedly strengthen the squad, it became patently obvious either they weren't good enough or they weren't playing for the manager. The writing was well and truly on the wall, and in the end, despite what the Chairman says, even his Board lost faith. Amicably or otherwise - sadly now the romance is over. But let us not forget to pay tribute to one of the best managers Glentoran Football Club has ever had. Eighteen trophies in 8 years, including 3 Irish League Titles and 4 Irish Cups. Add to that a first ever away win in European competition for the club in 125 years, and the 'Gaffer' has left us with many many happy memories indeed.
I personally would like to thank Roy Coyle for each and every one of those memories, and take this opportunity to wish him well whatever direction he chooses to go. (I wonder could that be upstairs)?
Can I just add that any eejit who suggests Kenny bloody Shiels as a replacement needs their friggin head lookin at!
1st Feb 06. AND THEY'RE OFF ... ! Best with speakers ... HERE ;-)
Institute game - As you were from last Monday night we're told, hopefully that's just the squad and not the performance! Paul Millar it seems misses another opportunity to get directly involved too, having to serve a one match ban and view the game form the stands (maybe not a bad thing as at least he'll get to see it like we do)! A real must win game for us though, Portadown are away to hapless Ards, and were they to go 6 points clear of us at this stage of the campaign it could almost spell the end. Only eight games remain after this, and the last four are against all the other teams in the top 5 places in the table! BTW, Institute hammered Armagh 4-0 just 2 weeks before the orchard county team hit us for 5!! Remember the good old days when you could say ... "sure it's only Institute this week" :-(
Match Betting: Glentoran 8/15, Institute 9/2, and a draw 11/4. All odds supplied by TOALS bookmakers
Manager Paul Millar
