No hiding place for wounded Glentoran amid the raw heat of a BetMcLean Cup derby duel with Linfield
Glentoran's shellshocked players trudged off to a chorus of boos after their home defeat to Carrick Rangers
John Gregg will be in charge for Glentoran in their BetMcLean Cup tie against Linfield
On a day 20 Glentoran legends took a bow at the BetMcLean Oval, Warren Feeney’s men hit a new low.
The club rolled back the years at the weekend by introducing a number of players that played over 250 games in the famous green, red and black shirt, including big names like Alan Paterson, Rab McCreery, Billy McKeag, Barney Bowers, Johnny Jamison, Jim Cleary, Gary Blackledge, Terry Moore, George Neill, Andy Mathieson, John Devine and Gary Smyth.
They must have been squirming in their seats watching what was on offer once referee Lee Tavinder got the action under way at the aging east Belfast venue.
Having benefited from the takeover and the financial clout of Iranian-based businessman Ali Pour in recent years, the Glens have made little progress.
Now on to their third manager this calendar year — Feeney took over from Rodney McAree in the summer after the current Dungannon Swifts chief had replaced Mick McDermott — the performance against Carrick Rangers at the weekend bordered on the ridiculous.
Twice the Glens led, through skipper Marcus Kane and Jay Donnelly, but twice they surrendered their advantage — courtesy of a double hit from former Oval old boy Danny Purkis.
And, in an ironic twist, it was another ex-Glens striker, Curtis Allen, who supplied the coup de grace by claiming the winner seven minutes from time.
It sparked an angry reaction from the frustrated fans in the main stand, whose cry of ‘Out, out, out!’ — directed at Feeney — echoed around the old ground along with the deafening boos.
Yes, it was quite an
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