Building a Nation: Northern Ireland

And that's a little concerning @Sean_ but it would perhaps be more concerning if we were stuck in the second tier for a few seasons.

Not a fan of the away kit then @Dan? Eh, at times all football clubs release but ugly shirts.

Still beat them @DNZY regardless of whether it's a friendly or not!


For the second time in three seasons we are back in the Championship following yet another relegation from the top flight because of that dreaded relegation/promotion playoff and defeat to Harland & Wolff Welders. The club are predicted to finish in second place, with fellow relegated club Ballinamallard predicted to finish as champions which I disagree with as I think we're the better team (with perhaps rose tinted glasses) between the two of us.


Following our success in the Irish Cup last season we made our first European adventure of the save, but it turned out to be a short-lived one as Zylina beat us over two legs in the first qualifying round of the Europa League - and speaking of the Irish Cup, we won't be able to try and retain the trophy as Warrenpoint dumped us out at the fourth round stage which was very annoying. The one trophy that kept eluding me has finally been won as a 3-1 success over Brantwood has finally seen me lift the Steel & Sons Cup and Bangor's first success in that competition since 2011 as we beat Killyleagh (yeah, deal with it @DNZY) on route. We remain to be win-less over Cliftonville as the Premiership side not only dumped us out of the Co. Antrim Shield at the semi final stage but also at the quarter final stage of the League Cup. We remain in the Intermediate Cup though and will face Dundela in round four.


Three defeats have happened in the first part of the campaign but apart from that it hasn't been too bad as we also dropped points on the opening day as Limavady somehow stole a point, our best result thus far has to be a 7-2 away success at Armagh City - we conceded early on and late on but still managed to bag seven goals in between. I'm just a little disappointed that in the three games we've lost, we didn't score.


But regardless of those three defeats, we find ourselves lying top of the Championship and eight points clear of second placed Limavady United and we've also got a superior goal difference which might end up coming in handy. It's very tight at the bottom as only five points separate bottom of the table Donegal Celtic and eighth placed Knockbreda while the preseason league favourites, Ballinamallard, are in fourth place.


And the final piece of news in this update is big news (or maybe not, we'll see in the summer) as we've been taken over as Gavin Mullan has become our new chairman and the little prick actually wanted to replace me as manager - WITH MY ASSISTANT! but he's let me not just stay on but for the first time since my Sport & Leisure days, I'm actually being allowed to go on a coaching course. I'm going to begin studying for my National B Licence which will take approx. four months worth of study while the football club will be covering the six hundred pound fee.

Stay at Bangor!! We need to stick at Bangor together

Great achievement mate.

Great form this far into the season and again it looks imminent that you'll return to the top tier. Well done on the S&S cup!

Ha, I don't know how many more relegations I can handle with Bangor though @Fola but we'll see what happens I suppose.

I suppose you could say we're the type of club who will always do well in the Championship @Dan but when promotion to the Premiership happens, well, we crumble.


The second part of the campaign is upon us as we look to make an immediate return to the top flight of Northern Irish football for the second time in three seasons and once again everything's looking rosy thus far and if we are to make an immediate return, which is looking likely, well, I hope we don't end up being relegated for a third time in four seasons as once again that would be hard to take.


Whenever we returned to cup competitions after Christmas the side remained in just the Intermediate Cup, a competition that came to an end for us at the semi final stage after a penalty shoot-out defeat to Ballinamallard which I suppose can't moan about as we needed spot kicks to get past Armagh in the quarters - Dundela, Tobermore United, Donard Hospital and Malachians were beaten in the previous rounds before our semi exit.


Our tremendous league form continued into the second part of the 2024/25 season as the side lost just one more game this season as Warrenpoint undeservedly won 2-0 at our home venue but c'est le vie. Our best result in that pile has to be the 6-1 demolition of Dergview at home while the campaign concluded with a deserved four goals to two home success against Dergview.


And once again we've made an immediate return to the top flight of Northern Irish football as Championship champions and it ended up pretty easy in the end as the side finished eighteen points clear of runners-up Limavady United. It ended up being automatic relegation for Donegal Celtic while Dundela will face the second placed Premier Intermediate League side in a relegation/promotion playoff. Now that we've made our return to the Premiership, it's important we do not get relegated once again.

We are back in the Premiership following Championship success last season and once again it's predicted to see a season of struggle as the media are expecting us to finish in ninth position and I don't know whether that's possible or not as we've been relegated at the end of the last two Premiership campaigns in which we've been in.



I'm pretty sure for the first time at Bangor, not one person has joined this summer as I struggled to find anyone who would've improved the club but three players did end up leaving the club - striker Danny McKee and right back Chris Reilly both departed the club when their contracts had expired while young striker Jonathan Maguire went to Portadown on a free as he refused to sign a new contract at Bangor Fuels Arena - Maguire made zero appearances.


And this is how the squad will be looking heading to my seventh of eighth season at Bangor and it's not the worst looking squad I've seen but improvements are needed in certain positions but unfortunately I've found it difficult, especially this summer, to get better talent in - Richard Wallace, Neil Marshall, Keith Jennings and Sean Curran will be our four key players this summer and I expect them all to impress.


On the field I've no complaints at how our preparations went even though we lost twice - vs. Glebe Rangers & Accrington Stanley while we drew at Bangor Amateurs. I did manage to guide the side to five wins in preseason as we beat Bangor Young Men, Larne Tech O.B., Glenarm, Sunderland U23's and Carryduff as we kept five clean sheets from the eight preseason friendlies which isn't a terrible return regardless of the opposition.

Once again Bangor are a Premiership side but whether we're able to maintain our stay (previous best: two seasons) will remain to be seen but I've got to be confident, right? As I said in the previous post, we are predicted to finish ninth and it's a position I've certainly take at present.


We have reached the League Cup final for the first time since 2021 when we ended up being runners-up and we'll entertain Dungannon Swifts in the final as firece rivals Ards, Warrenpoint Town, Banbridge Town and Malachians were beaten in the previous four rounds. Yet again we've failed in the Co. Antrim Shield as Ballymena United dumped us out of the competition at the quarter final stage.


Once again life in the Premiership has proved to be tough but decent enough thus far even if we've ended up losing nine times from our opening twenty four league games but we did manage to beat fierce rivals Ards twice which is excellent enough. Our end of twenty twenty five form saw us pick up just four points (one win and a draw) from a possible eighteen which isn't ideal.


And we will return in twenty twenty six with the football club lying in sixth position but I refuse to get carried away as the last time we had a decent first part of the campaign, well, we ended up losing in the relegation/promotion playoff and back to the Championship we went - I hope it doesn't happen this time.


For whatever reason this season, Sean Curran has been absolute muck and I can't understand why as he's only bagged (thus far) something like two Premiership goals which is rubbish for his standards and thankfully he also knows, when the striker scored against Carrick Rangers in a game in which we won 2-0, Curran ended his unacceptable TWENTY TWO HOUR goal drought before his nineteenth minute goal.

Now thats an away kit! Nice work with that mate and good form in the league, hopefully this time it continues second half of the season and I expect that League Cup!

Cheers for the compliment regarding the away kit @Dan and glad you like it, so much I'm tempted to keep it for "next season". Even though Sean Curran hasn't really been scoring this season for some reason, I'm pleased with how things have been going - granted, it perhaps could've been better if he found the net on a more regular basis.


Another season at Bangor Fuels Arena has been done and dusted and surely relegation won't follow as it's been an enjoyable campaign thus far as we're lying up in sixth position at the midway point of the 2025/26 campaign and fourteen points clear of fierce rivals Ards who occupy the relegation/promotion playoff spot while Coleraine are rock bottom.


I'm delighted to announce that we've finally won the League Cup at Bangor after back-to-back runners-up spots like seven seasons ago as Dungannon Swifts were defeated one goal to nil in the 'showpiece' final as I feel that leaves just the league and Co. Antrim Shield are the domestic trophies which have alluded me thus far. Unfortunately our run in the Irish Cup came crashing to a halt at (then) Championship strugglers Limavady who beat us one nil.


Just five more Premiership defeats followed in the second part of the season as our excellent campaign somewhat continued - our defeats came against Dungannon (away), Cliftonville (home), Linfield (away), Glenavon (away) and Ballymena (home) but we did beat local rivals Ards twice which pleased me the most - the season concluded with a scoreless draw away to Crusaders but we should've won it with ease but alas it wasn't to be.


And I'm delighted with how this season ended up unfolding as the team finished in a hefty eighth position and it wasn't for the (stupid) split then it would've been a sixth place finish as ourselves and Ballymena would've overtook both Glentoran and Portadown - annoying but it is how it is in real life. Coleraine ended up being automatically relegated while Ards will be the relegation/promotion playoff. Finally, I believe Sean Curran ended the campaign with eleven goals, not great but decent considering the drought(s) he was on in the first part of the campaign.

Well done on another piece of silverware mate, does this qualify you for european football or is that only the irish cup? Easily beat the drop this time around, now build on that

Unfortunately the League Cup success doesn't qualify us for Europa League football @Dan, that's just the Irish Cup but whenever you're closing in on near £600k in the red, I need European football on a regular basis as soon as possible!


It's been a decade since I began this career managing clubs across Northern Ireland - well just the two - but this is just going to be a simple update to see how the leagues and cups have progressed or even regressed over the last decade.


And we will start things off with the Danske Bank Premiership and the top flight has risen eighteen positions from one hundred and two to eighty four while the NIFL Championship and the Premier Intermediate League are also on the rise as the Championship has risen twenty nine places from two hundred and eighty two to two hundred and fifty three and the PIL is up a staggering fifty three positions from three hundred and fifty seven to three hundred and fourth.


Just like the leagues, I'm delighted to see the cup competitions are also on the rise a decade on from when this career began. I'm going to kick things off with the Irish Cup and that's only up ten positions from ninety six to eighty six while the League Cup is also up ten places to ninety from one hundred, the one trophy shield I've failed to win, the Co. Antrim Shield has rose eleven places from one hundred and eighteenth to one hundred and seventh.

At Intermediate/non league level, the Steel & Sons Cup has rose thirty three places from one hundred and ninety two to one hundred and fifty nine, the Intermediate Cup, just like the S&S Cup is also up thirty three places to one hundred and sixty from one hundred and ninety three while the Mid Ulster Cup, the one cup competition I haven't entered (for obvious reasons) is up eleven positions from one hundred and nineteenth to one hundred and eighth.

We will return in another decade all being well to see whether the league and cups have either progressed or regressed.

Good to see some progression is being made and thats without you having a stab at european football proeprly!

Yeah we've had just one season at European football @Dan and even then that didn't last long but because the club is so far in the red (almost £600k +), I need to qualify for European football on a more regular basis.


I'm about to begin my ninth season here at Bangor Fuels Arena and although it's been a mixed stint which has resulted in not just league struggles but two relegations from the Premiership to Championship in three seasons we survived last season with a bit of ease and now it's very important we can build on that due to the football club being in hefty debt - yes we have good/quality players but I need them to "mature" together and get us at least European football this season.


Just like last season I struggled to find anyone noteworthy that would've strengthened the squad for no one ended up signing but I did promote about three or four players from our reserve team for this season but four players departed this season - experienced right back Gary Phair decided to retire from the game, I don't blame him, he wasn't a regular the last few seasons while both Josh Lynch and Josh McCarten left when their contracts had expired and striker Ian Lafferty went to fellow Premiership side Carrick Rangers on loan for the season.


This is how the squad looks ahead of my ninth season at the Clandeboye Road based club and it's still a strong looking squad - Neil Marshall is still our best defender but unfortunately he's out of contract and won't sign a new deal at present but because he's so good, I am not releasing him. We have three other top class players for Irish League standards and that's right back Richard Wallace, central midfielder Keith Jennings and striker Sean Curran and I'm hoping the latter can have a much better season compared to last.


And it turned out to be an unbeaten preseason program on the field with the only "blemish" being a one all draw away to non-league's Lurgan Celtic which denied us a 100% record on the field. Things began with our 'traditional' game away to Bangor Young Men in which we won 2-0 and then we went on to beat Dromara, Ardoyne and Camlough all away from home before beating Kircubbin 4-2 at home but was a little disappointed to have conceded twice at home and then preseason concluded with that draw at Lurgan Celtic.

So with no new signings for the past two seasons I'm hoping the current crop of youngsters have 'matured' and we can have an excellent season in the Premiership and avoid that dreaded 'second season syndrome' we had the last time in the top flight which tragically ended in relegation back to the Championship.


It finally happened, I have 'conquered' the Co. Antrim Shield as I've added that trophy this season to the trophy cabinet after beating Premier Intermediate League side Moyola Park 3-1 in the final and deservedly so - as you can see by the semi final result, I ended my dreadful drought against Cliftonville as a 1-0 win meant I had beaten them for the first ever time in my time with the Seasiders - Knockbreda and Donegal Celtic were beaten in the quarter finals and first round respectively. Our run in the League Cup came to an end at the quarter final stage at the hands of Ards while Moyola will be looking for revenge when the two sides meet in the fifth round of the Irish Cup.


Well, what a tremendous campaign we're currently having in the Premiership and not only am I stunned but I'm also delighted but whether we'll be able to maintain it remains to be seen. and if it wasn't for those pesky back-to-back 0-0's away to Ballymena United and home to Glentoran it could've been perhaps better. The calendar year ended with three consecutive wins against Crusaders, Dungannon Swifts and Carrick Rangers. Our best result in the first part of the campaign has to be the 8-1 hiding of our fierce rivals Ards, we were excellent and annoyingly haven't beaten them sense, oh and we also beat Carrick 6-1 at home too.


And it's going to be the Seasiders who sit proudly top of the Premiership table at the midway point as with twenty three games played we are two points clear of current champions Glenavon who have actually won the league the past four seasons so I'm pleased I'm currently ahead of them but whether we finish ahead of them in first place, well, I don't think it's going to happen as I feel we're not quite ready - even though they had beaten us recently, Warrenpoint still prop up the league.

Well done on the course antrim shield man and what a season to date in the prem! Knew it was only time till that crop of players would be causing a stir!

Bloody hell, mighty fine win against Ards. Reminiscent of my 6-1 away win against Linfield with Killyleagh.

Cheers @Dan, the Shield success is long overdue in my opinion and I'm chuffed at how well things in the league are currently going but whether or not that can be maintained remains to be seen.

No one cares about Killyleagh @DNZY but it was a tremendous win at that long nonetheless.


Things at this present time are going well in the Premiership at Bangor as we proudly sit top of the table at the midway point but whether that form can be maintained or not, well, I'd be surprised - we currently have a two point lead over the champions from the past four seasons Glenavon and I'm sure with the experience they've got, well, it's going to be tough to stay in front of them.


We remained in just the Irish Cup when 2027 began but sadly the run in the aforementioned competition came to an end at the quarter final stage as Premiership "rivals" Linfield deservedly won one nil at Windsor Park while in the previous round we beat Moyola Park, the same club we beat to win the Co. Antrim Shield, two nil at Mill Meadow.


It was always going to tough trying to maintain our league form but I can't pretend not to be disappointed at the league form throughout the second part of the season as the club recorded just six more wins, three draws and annoyingly six defeats including a 'disgusting' five one home smashing against Glentoran which was inexcusable. We should've duffed Warrenpoint Town at home but missing a whole host of chances, and a penalty kick from Richard Wallace, meant the game ended scoreless. The campaign ended with a well deserved three goals to nil defeat at home to Linfield.


And it's ended up being another Premiership trophy for Glenavon, I believe their fifth in a row and they seem to be unstoppable but my word, we tried to stop them but unfortunately (yes, that sounds bad) we had to settle for a runners-up spot which not only equals European football but much needed money as well. Carrick Rangers ended up being automatically relegated while Warrenpoint will go into the dreaded relegation/promotion playoff as fierce rivals Ards somehow survived.

After just over nine years at the helm of my beloved Bangor, I have decided that it was time to move on in this career as I look to continue a quest to build Northern Ireland to be the very best country in the world and although that still seems to be quite impossible, I'm still determined to try. Now I didn't want to depart the Seasiders after a second placed finish last season but with the club heavy in debt, not really any transfer budget and a poor wage budget, well, it was time I moved on.


At the end of the 2026/2027 season Lee Doherty decided to retire from football management and thus that made the Glenavon job become available, the club that ended up pipping ourselves to the league title last season and the club who have won the title the past five seasons so of course I ended up applying as I hope I would get at least an interview as the league, along with the Mid-Ulster Cup, are the two trophies I've not been able to win - the latter for obvious reasons.


And with a heavy heart I have to announce that my time at the Bangor Fuels Arena has come to an end as I was unveiled as Glenavon's new manager at a press conference this morning. Bangor received five thousand pounds in compensation for my services and although it's not a lot, it's much needed money for that football club, I'll miss managing the club as I support the club in real life but I need to progress in this career and Glenavon was the best option available and I cannot wait to get started at Mourneview Park.


This is the squad in which I'll be working with although I will be adding players, although both Martin Rainey (CB) and Chris Rainey (ML) are both currently unhappy, well, they'll both be key players for the season ahead and although Lee O'Leary (MR) looks a cracking player, he sadly doesn't seem to fit into our system at present so he'll be getting retrained to play a little bit more forward - if he's interested.

*cough cough* Glory hunter.

Can't believe you left after the progression especially this season. But thats your choice fella, all the best

Ha, I can't even deny that @DNZY

Last season Bangor overachieved @Dan and I decided to leave on a high and after how much Glenavon has been successful in the league over the last few years I couldn't say no when the opportunity became available - I'm hoping it'll be a one season jobby and then I can return and take over a newly promoted PIL side all being well.


During the summer I decided to end my just over nine year spell at Bangor when I was appointed Glenavon manager on a one year deal after the previous manager Lee Doherty decided to retire from football management. Glenavon have won the last in each of the previous five seasons and I'm hoping I can make it six as well as trying to get more coaching badges under my name. They're favourites to win the league and should I fail then I think I'll be chopped.


For the first time in this career I've got to spend 'proper' money on players - my previous record was £1k when I brought Richard Wallace to Bangor. Six players ended up joining this summer and they all arrived on the opening day of the transfer window. Winger Richard Mason arrived from Linfield for twenty six grand, Sean Curran came in for just under three thousand pound, twenty thousand pound parted to Dungannon for shot stopper John Kelly, left back Thomas Devlin joined from Coleraine, centre back Neil Marshall came the second player to join from Bangor, four and a half thousand was spent and the last signing was Dean Watson who cost us thirty six thousand pound from Dungannon.


And this will be the squad ahead of the 2027/28 campaign and it's a strong looking squad although only downside was I struggled to find an out and out left winger which was unfortunate but we'll move on, we have a squad that's full of talent and I'm still unknown on who is going to be my first choice striker - I'd love it to be Sean Curran for 'nostalgic' purposes as he done so well at Bangor but he's currently injured - as is another striker Tony Woods and so is Dean Watson, Chris Rainey and Keith Law.


On the field we had a decent preseason program as we remained undefeated throughout as the side recorded victories against Irvine Meadow (6-0), Falkirk (3-2), Lurgan B.B.O.B (3-0), Lurgan Institute (6-0) and Hill Street (5-2) while the side drew twice against East Kilbride (0-0) and Queens Park Rangers (1-1).

We have finally reached the midway point of the twenty twenty seven twenty twenty eight campaign and it's been a groundbreaking season thus far for the back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back Northern Irish Premiership Champions and in this update you'll see some huge news which'll only benefit Glenavon (and I hope the entire Irish League) for years to come.


Against all the odds Glenavon qualified for the Champions League group stages but that's when the joy ended as the Lurgan Blues lost all six group games and got some hidings along the way - we had defeated Partizan, Zalgiris Vilnius and Dinamo Zagreb in the qualifying rounds. The board don't consider it an important competition so they're not concerned our League Cup run ended at the semi final stage at the hands of Linfield while the club still need to play their Mid-Ulster Cup first round home tie against Fivemiletown and they're still in the Challenge Cup in which we'll face Scottish Championship side St. Johnstone at the QF stage and we've been drawn away to Championship side Ballinamallard in the Irish Cup.


We started the league campaign like a house on fire, winning every one of our opening FIFTEEN league clubs before a shock single goal defeat against Ards who had only won twice in the league before beating us, our second league defeat came away to Dungannon in which we squandered a two nil defeat and that frustrated me no end. We did however beat our fierce rivals Portadown twice - three one at Mourneview Park and two nil at Shamrock Park. Striker Sean Curran who had started the season slowly has now bagged fourteen goals so far in the league.


And so we will be heading into the new year top of the table as expected and eleven points clear of our nearest challengers Linfield but it should've been three points more as we shouldn't have surrendered that two goal lead away to Dungannon last time out. It's been a tough season thus far for my former employers Bangor who are in ninth position at the midway point but they have ended up thumping Ards twice, something I've failed to do thus far and speaking of Ards, they're bottom and I'm hoping this'll be the season they get relegated back to oblivion the Championship.


Yeah let's not say too much about how the club fared in the Champions League group stages, we lost six games out of six and got thumped in the majority of them.


But I'm pleased to announce that the Glenavon board are allowing me to go on a coaching course which will see me capture the National A Licence should I be successful, just like all the other National coaching courses, it's going to take approximately four months of study and the football club are covering the six hundred pound fee.


I can also announce that the football club have had a successful takeover which has seen Robert Smyth become the new Chairman and I think I'm going to love this chap while I'm at the club because he's already made some changes and agreed to some big changes that'll see the future of the Lurgan Blues (potentially) change forever. First he's pumped just over fourteen million pounds into the club and has also changed the transfer budget as we've now got nine million pounds to spend which is insane for an Irish League club. He's also removed my philosophies which means I don't need to worry about "high profile" signings.

And now, who is ready for the big changes?


First up is the new Chairman has agreed to not only up the youth facilities but also the training ones as well but the latter took a bit of "groveling" to get it done. The youth facilities will cost three hundred and fifty thousand and should be done by the start of October in twenty twenty eight while the training facilities will cost four hundred grand and should be completed on the same date as the youth ones. But this is the big one and one I only done for a "laugh" to "chance my arm" but I requested about the club potentially turning professional and he surprisingly agreed and plans are in place to turn Glenavon Football Club professional at the end of the season which I'm excited about if it happens and we'll know if it happens come near the end of June.

Superb work getting to the CL group stage, that money will be huge and in a couple years im sure you'll be competing for at least third in the groups to head through to EL football. great news on the takeover and upgrades too, could be huge to take this team forward

Your new Chairman is absolutely class. Hopefully you can really push on now and continue to improve the country. This is a great read mate, keep up the good work.

It was a phenomenal achievement @Dan but it would've been nice to have picked up at least a point though but c'est le vie. I'm delighted with the news from the chairman as it should only mean we've now got the advantage to dominate for years to come.

He is, isn't he @Fola? I'm more surprised he had no interest in replacing me with some chancer though.



It's been quite a dominating, but perhaps expected first part of the league campaign as the Lurgan Blues are sitting top of the Premiership table and looking on course for a SIXTH consecutive Northern Irish Premiership title and with the news of the club potentially going professional in the summer, well, I expect the club to dominate domestically for years to come.


So I'm delighted to announce I can add the Mid-Ulster Cup and the Challenge Cup to my trophy cabinet as we dominated both finals against fierce rivals Portadown and Scottish Championship side Queen of the South respectively but sadly our run in the Irish Cup ended at the semi final stage against Coleraine much to the boards disappointment.


You're all perhaps looking at that and thinking "you failed to win six games, get out!" and I'm disappointed especially with the scoreless draw at home to Portadown as I felt we had done enough to secure the points but just couldn't find the onion bag against the Ports. For me, the most disappointing defeat in the second part of the campaign had to be the 3-2 defeat away to Bangor at Bangor Fuels Arena, we had done enough for at least a point but it wasn't to be.


But it's a sixth consecutive Premiership crown for Glenavon Football Club and my first since arriving at Mourneview Park and as you can see, it turned out to be quite simple in the end for the Lurgan Blues, finishing twenty two points clear of runners-up Cliftonville. Institute went down automatically while Ards will be in the relegation/promotion playoff (please get relegated!) while my former employers and beloved Bangor survived in tenth.


So earlier in the campaign I was able to get my latest coaching badges and I was successful, now the Glenavon board are letting me get my Continental C Licence which I'm delighted with, just like the National Licences it'll be approx. four months of study to attempt to compete and the Lurgan Blues' board will be covering the hefty nine hundred and sixty pounds for the course.


And the final piece of news in this update is that Mourneview Park's capacity is getting extended, I'm not one hundred percent sure how many seats are getting added but it'll take the capacity to four thousand and six and will cost a massive eight hundred and seventy five thousand pounds and the work should be completed by the tenth of June this year.

For I believe the first time in this career I have got to announce from preseason news as it's already been a busy summer at Mourneview Park with our status in the Irish League changing along with a bit of coaching badge news and also a bit of relocation news as well, oh and we've still got potential transfer business to do as well.


So the first piece of news in the summer is that Glenavon Football Club have officially turned professional, the first Irish League club to do so and now I'd be expecting us to dominate the league from here on in. It's news I had requested for a 'laugh' back when the new chairman had come in following a takeover and now it's official.


The second piece of news is that Mourneview Park is getting it's capacity extended by two thousand and eighty seats and will cost a 'staggering' two point three million pound and should take around ten months for the expansion to be completed but the downside with the work being done is we've got to be relocated while it's being done and our home games will now be getting played at The Oval in east Belfast.


And despite turning professional in the summer I've only been able to sign a new one-year contract extension at the club which is a little annoying but c'est le vie but with the success I had last season (and expected) at the club I had no desire not to accept the new deal.


And the final piece of news is that I had completed my Continental C Licence over the summer and I wasted no time as immediately I requested to go and start studying for my Continental B Licence and surprisingly the board accepted - it will take this time around six months worth of studying and just like the previous course, Glenavon will be covering the staggering one point two thousand pound fee.

It's that time of the year again in which I bring our preseason round-up and it hasn't been a busy preseason as I expected both on the field and off the field as well. In the summer we had turned professional, the first Irish League club to do so and although we had a hefty transfer budget to splash, well, I hardly was able to put a dent in it.


Just four players ended up joining the club this summer as we 'splashed the cash'. Linfield duo Sam Burns and Brian Haughey joined for a combined ninety five thousand pounds - Burns in a centre back while Haughey is a left back - right back Paul Donnelly joined on a free from Cliftonville while our last summer signing, Josh Lyons, arrived from Brighton for one hundred and ninety thousand pound. Our one major departure saw Chris Rainey finally depart the club as Milton Keynes Dons spent two hundred thousand for his services - Stuart Boyle (Newport), Conor Whelen (Dundee) and Alan McGonigle (released) also left the club.


And this is the squad that'll begin my second campaign at Glenavon and it's not the worst looking squad although I struggled to bring in a suitable striker who could bag the goals in on a regular basis so I'm hoping Sean Curran can continue to score, he bagged eighteen goals last season. Yet again I'll be also expecting both Lee O'Leary (and Richard Mason when he plays) and new winger Josh Lyons to support our loan striker.


Although it means nothing in hindsight I've got to admit that this is arguably the worst preseason I've had in this career as we just one of our four preseason friendlies. Things began with a one all draw against Ayr at 'home', a three all draw away to Alloa was up next, Flyde surprised us with a two nil win away from home before our preseason preparations concluded with a fully deserved four nil home success against Ford.

I've reached the mid season of my second campaign at Glenavon and after last season's success I'm hoping this season will be just as enjoyable, if not better. Last season the club won the league for the sixth consecutive season iirc along with the Scottish Challenge Cup and Mid-Ulster Cup but we had failed to win the League Cup and Irish Cup which was a little disappointing but not the be all and end all.


Sadly we won't be able to retain the Challenge Cup after Stranraer dumped us out of the competition, four two at The Oval. Defeat in the Champions League playoff stage to Viktoria Plzen meant we entered the Europa League group stages but six games and six defeats later meant we were out of that competition. When we return in the new year we will face Donegal Celtic in the fifth round of the Irish Cup, Linfield in the League Cup final and Lurgan Celtic in the Mid-Ulster quarter finals.


It has once again been an enjoyable league campaign for the Lurgan Blues, even if we did end up losing three games - vs. Warrenpoint Town, Linfield and Cliftonville but we haven't suffered a single defeat since the Reds defeat and haven't lost in the last twelve Premiership clashes. I'm over the moon we were able to put our fierce rivals Portadown twice.


And when the league resumes in the new year Glenavon will have a six point lead at the Premiership summit and things are looking good for yet another league title. It's been a struggle for my beloved Bangor who are second bottom.


But yet again it turned out to be disappointment in European competition as the side finished not just rock bottom in Group F but we didn't even win a game nor even pick up a draw and barely scored a goal and that was very disappointing.


After completing my Continental B Licence, I'm delighted to announce that immediately the board are allowing me to go on a course to try and get my Continental A Licence and I'm over the moon. It's going to take around twelve months of study and the Glenavon board are going to be covering the staggering three thousand pound fee for the course.

Straight forward in the league so far @Shedender expectedly so though! Shame about the Europa League results but hopefully its helping build that bank account.

Yeah like I said to you previously @Dan, I'd be expecting league success to get potentially easier and easier.


My second full season at Glenavon has been concluded and it hasn't been a bad season thus far as we are top of the Premiership table, as expected and six points clear of the second placed club.


Much to no one's surprise, three more trophies have been added to my buldging cabinet as both the League Cup and Irish Cup were both won in a penalty shoot-out to Linfield and Cliftonville respectively while a straight forward three goals to nil win against Armagh City sealed back-to-back Mid-Ulster Cups.


Two more league defeats happened in the second part of the league season as both Ballymena United and Cliftonville beat us on the road but we destroyed our fierce rivals Portadown six one at Mourneview Park which I was chuffed with. The league campaign concluded with back-to-back draws against Cliftonville, nil nil at home and Linfield, two two at Windsor Park.


But it's another league title for the Lurgan Blues and a seventh in succession as the football club finished eleven points ahead of Cliftonville who finished in the runners-up spot as the Reds ended up fourteen points clear of Linfield who had a dreadful campaign. It's with a 'heavy heart' that I say goodbye to my beloved Bangor who have been relegated back to the Championship after four seasons in the Premiership and they're still manager-less after the previous gaffer was chopped. Ballymena United ended up in the relegation/promotion playoff spot.

Finally caught up with your posts, @Shedender. What a story! Had to read from your "Preseason round-up 2020/21" update as I've had a break from FM, but back now. Quite the rollercoaster ride since then, those up/down seasons with Bangor were quite something; plus the Irish Cup triumph. Incredible. Dominating the league with Glenavon now, hopefully you can win a game in a UCL/UEL group stage soon and build on that. Well done, man. Keep it up!