Tommy Kincaid

Enjoy the Game, Love Your Club ...

Tommy Kincaid lead Glenavon to three Cup Finals, winning two of them, before securing second place in the league and promotion back to the Premier League via  a thrilling two-legged play-off tie against Crusaders.

Previous Manager's Notes

3rd May 2005: It was very disappointing to end the season with a defeat at home by Bangor last Tuesday night. I must apologise to you, the supporters, for the way we played. We know we let ourselves down, but in fairness to the players they have been playing two games a week for a while now and had a very tough Intermediate Cup final just four days earlier. However, in the end the result made no difference to our League runners up position. Congratulations to Colin Malone and Armagh City. To complete the league programme without defeat is a tremendous achievement and I wish them well in the Premier League. We, I hope, will be joining them when the new season starts.

It has been a long season, a real roller-coaster ride, with lots of highs and lows, but I prefer to concentrate on the positives. We reached three cup finals, winning the Mid-Ulster and Intermediate Cups and losing out to Bangor for the Daily Mirror Trophy. We are still in a position to be promoted and we have some great talent coming through. Stephen McAlorum, Adam Montgomery, Neil Gawley, Stephen Carroll and others as well. Young Stephen Carroll did a tremendous job for us, forced in at the deep end to deputise for the suspended Andy McDonald. I know he is disappointed to be out of the team again with Andy back but he understands my decision. Stephen is a great prospect for the future but I thought it would be unfair to ask such a young lad to take on the responsibility of the play-off games. These two games are not like normal league or cup encounters and Andy’s experience could be crucial to the outcome.

At the time of writing it appears that I may not be able to risk Jonny Wright in the first play-off due to an ankle injury however he should be ready for Friday’s game and Gareth Murray is unavailable tonight. There are a few other niggling injuries in the squad but I’m hoping for the all clear from Alan Quinn on all of these. Our training session on the pitch on Saturday went really well and there is a good feeling in the camp.

Tonight’s game is the first of two of the most important games in Glenavon’s history. The players know that nothing less than total commitment is needed to succeed. At this crucial time the players also need you, the supporters, behind them like never before. It is so important to us all and with your help we will get the job done.

26th April 2005: What a great game the Intermediate Cup Final was and what a marvellous showpiece for First Division football in particular. Both DC and Glenavon have been criticised for not showing this competition due respect but I think all who attended the game will know that both teams showed the utmost respect for the competition and each other. The big crowd got everything, entertainment, goals, nerve-shredding extra time and finally penalties. Then young Stephen Carroll put the icing on Glenavon’s cake with a great save to bring the trophy to Mourneview Park. We had eight players not available for a variety of reasons but the players selected on the night did a great job. They are a fantastic squad to work with.

After a run of wins in the league we faced a potential banana skin against Coagh United showing an improved form recently. But we were playing well, scoring goals and defending tightly so we went into the game in a confidant mood but not cocky as one other manager has alleged. On the day we played great stuff and the 6-1 scoreline didn’t flatter us at all. In fact, I think we should have scored a few more. The aim was to get three points but the big improvement in our goal difference was a deserved bonus.

We knew it would be difficult to get anything from H & WW on a difficult Tillysburn pitch. They are a big strong side with bags of experience. Although the play-off spot was secure we needed a win to keep the pressure on Armagh City. But I think we deserved the win because we created more clear-cut chances than the Welders although they certainly gave us some anxious moments, especially with the long throw-in, as dangerous as any corner kick. Another great defensive display, determination throughout and a brilliant goal gave us the points and yet another clean sheet. It was good to have Johnny Montgomery back and available for that one.

Tonight, against Bangor, it’s the final league game of the season but we still can’t take the foot off the pedal. I want another determined display from everyone and the three points from this one. Then we can see the result from the Armagh City game. With Ballymoney United fighting to get out of the drop zone they just might pull a result out of the bag. If not then Armagh will be worthy champions and we will go all out to win the play-off and get this club back where it belongs, in the Premiership.

16th April 2005: Let me take this opportunity to apologise to the officers and members of The City of Armagh Glenavon Supporters Club for being unable to attend their annual dinner on Friday, 8^th April. As everyone should know by now that, despite protesting in the strongest terms, Glenavon and Carrick Rangers were forced, with very little notice, to bring their game forward from its scheduled Saturday spot to Friday night. This not only succeeded in disrupting our preparation for a vitally important league game but match sponsors were inconvenienced and members of one of our main supporters clubs had to choose between attending the game or their annual dinner. We are told that some games must be played on Friday nights in order to deal with the apparent shortage of match officials and we accept that. However, is it too much to ask that common sense be used? That clubs are consulted in advance, rather than being treated in an authoritarian manner with no thought given to clubs, players, managers or more importantly the people who pay the wages, the supporters and sponsors.

After being beaten 4-2 in our previous meeting with Carrick Rangers, when we could and should have won, the players felt they had a score to settle. With that in mind they went about their business in a professional and workman-like manner. A great team performance in the first half saw us going in at half-time 3-0 up and it could have been more. My only gripe is that some players may have been guilty of taking the foot off the pedal in the second half, something I warned them against in the dressing room at half-time. But it was good win and another clean sheet so no real complaints.

At Ballyclare, as expected, it was a difficult game on a poor playing surface. They gave us a hard time but didn’t really create many chances whereas we possibly should have scored a couple more after starting the first half poorly. But it’s now seven wins and seven clean sheets in a row so we have got be confident. We have three league games left and we are confident we can win all three then see where that takes us at the end of the season. Hopefully out of this league and into the premiership where this club belongs. First off is another difficult hurdle against today’s visitors, Coagh United. With your help we will do the business.

9th April 2005: I would like to express my thanks to everyone who sent get-well messages and enquired after my health recently. Your good wishes and concern is very much appreciated at a worrying time. Hopefully I can put that behind me now and concentrate on the job in hand. Congratulations and thanks are due to Wayne McMeekin and all the backroom staff and players who kept things going so superbly in my enforced absence. Hearing the results against Killyleagh in the Intermediate Cup semi-final and, more importantly, against Donegal Celtic in the league, was the best medicine that could be prescribed. I did get to watch the home game against Ballinamallard United, albeit from the press box. It was a frustrating but enjoyable experience.

At Dundela we could have won more convincingly had we taken all the chances we created. However, it was another good performance. Good defending, good attacking football, chances created and a hat trick scored. What more could you ask for. It was good to see another player from the U18s, Neil Gawley, getting the chance to step up and doing so well.

Regarding Andy McDonald’s suspension of six matches. We decided not to lodge an appeal and Andy has taken his punishment on the chin. It is disappointing to lose Andy at such a critical time of the season but I have faith in our other goalkeeping choices. How Andy’s case was dealt with by the disciplinary panel was out of our control and the time factor was not of our making. However, I was disappointed by the remarks in the press by two other first division managers. Their comments did them no credit and just highlighted apparent ignorance of procedures and lack of professionalism.

Winning the Mid-Ulster Cup on Tuesday night was very satisfying. A solid performance against a Premier League club on their own turf. Everybody worked hard and did their job to perfection. Stephen Carroll proved he was up to the job, made no mistakes and pulled off a brilliant save at the end while under pressure. With a bit of luck we could have got a couple more goals. We stood up to the physical game, played good football and thoroughly deserved to win the game.

We are now firmly in second spot in the league and will continue to concentrate on our own games. The team are playing like winners and I’m confident that they will do what is required tonight.

29th March 2005: COLIN FORSYTHE WRITES I am writing this article as our manager Tommy Kincaid was admitted to hospital on Monday of last week for some tests. We wish him a speedy recovery and hope that by the time you read this he will be back in charge of team affairs.

As I write we are preparing the team for our semi-final Intermediate Cup game and a visit to The Oval to play Killyleagh. Wayne McMeekin, our assistant Manager, assisted by myself will hopefully get us to the final. Dee Heron’s men, a good team with a fine pedigree, will also fancy a place in the final and will fight tooth and nail to get there. We will give them every respect and prepare the team for a tough battle.

More importantly we play Donegal Celtic on Easter Saturday morning in the league. This is a massive game for us and only a win will suffice. We know that we let ourselves down badly in our previous two league games against Carrick Rangers and Armagh City. I will be honest and admit that bad defending in those games was our downfall even though we controlled a lot of both, more especially against Armagh City. The players know what they have to do and what is expected of them. I am confident that, with this league campaign having a long way to go, we will be there or thereabouts at its finale.

"You’re only as good as your last win" is an old but true cliché and nowhere more so than at a big club like Glenavon where expectation levels are, quite rightly, always high. You, the supporters, expect success and that is your right. The players have to learn that in order to win football games, and championships, only hard work and commitment will bring the success we all long for. With respect to our loyal supporters only encouragement and positive vocal support will help our players, management team and above all Glenavon Football Club. I, just like you, want only success for Glenavon but continuous verbal abuse towards players and the manager from a minority is not helping our fight to gain promotion back to the premier league. I appeal to you all to get behind the team as we take on another difficult game today against Ballinamallard United and help us secure the three points.

11th March 2005: It seems a long time since our last home league game when we defeated Moyola Park by three goals to nil. That was a good result to keep the pressure on Armagh City and Donegal Celtic who are ahead of us on points, each now having played four more games than we have. Missing out on our scheduled home league game with Harland and Wolff Welders, who were involved in an Irish Cup match, last Saturday wasn’t ideal but it was completely out of our hands. Just another instance were a cup competition has again disrupted our league campaign. Consolation came when we learned that both our main rivals in the league race had been held to draws. However there is still a lot of football to be played before this league is decided and I’m sure there’ll be no shortage of twists, turns and surprises on the way.

Next came our Mid-Ulster Cup semi-final game against Armagh City at Holm Park. The players deserve great credit for this result having played most of the game with ten men after our goalkeeper was sent off. This tested the team’s metal to the limit and, in the end, they got the result their determination merited. Armagh had been playing mind games beforehand, saying that they weren’t concerned about the game or the result. It certainly didn’t seem that way on the night when they battled all the way.

Another meeting with Moyola Park brought us to Castledawson for a quarter-final tie in the Intermediate Cup. This is proving to be a frustrating competition in a number of ways. Not least being unable to choose from a full squad with seven players being unavailable for a variety of reasons. It took penalty kicks to, once again, get us through a round of this competition but young goalkeeper Simon Steele, thrown in at the deep end, proved that he was up for it with a fine penalty save just when it was needed.

Tonight, thankfully, it’s back to the league with the first competitive visit of Ballymoney United. There are no easy encounters in this league and tonight will be no exception. We have prepared for it and I will expect total commitment and effort from all of my players. That will get us the result we need.

18th February 2005: The performance and result against Armagh City last week was as disappointing and frustrating for me personally as for you, the supporters. We prepared well but, as I said in my match programme notes of last week, "the winner will be the team that is hungriest for the points on the day". Sadly, on the day, some of my players didn’t look as if they were up for the battle. Especially in the first half, when we had the strong wind in our back we failed to use it to our advantage. It could be argued that the weather conditions somewhat ruined the game or turned it into a lottery, but I don’t see it that way. The game was there to be won in the first half but we failed to capitalise. In the second half Armagh, maybe learning from our mistakes, used the wind much better than we had. Later in the second half we got the ball down and started to play some good football but it was too little too late, the damage had already been done and a great opportunity to gain ground in the league campaign had gone. I want everyone at the club to know that we are not sitting back, hoping that improvements will happen. We want promotion and we are not prepared to accept this level of performance. Players have got to learn to give everything for the cause. Anything less will not be tolerated. The two new players brought in this week, Scott Walker and Kieran O’Connor, are a further declaration of our intent.

However this league will not be decided by the result from one game. There is a lot of football to be played and points to be won. I can understand the feelings of supporters after a poor performance and if some want to vent their anger on me then that’s fine but verbal abuse of individual players is, not only distasteful, but works to the advantage of the opposition.

There are no easy encounters in this league and tonight’s visit by Moyola Park is just another tough hurdle that we must get over. The players have got to be ready for a battle with no quarter given. I believe they are. Together, with your support, we can do the job.

12th February 2005: After a good performance against Portadown in the Irish Cup and an outstanding display in the Mid-Ulster Cup game with Banbridge Town expectations were high as we prepared for an important league encounter with the first visit of Donegal Celtic. Regretfully we didn’t perform to our full potential on the day and in the overall picture a draw was probably a fair result. But give Donegal Celtic the credit they deserve. They are at the top end of the table with aspirations for promotion and it shows in their style of play. They are one of the few teams that came to Mourneview with the intention of winning the game rather than just stopping us playing and hoping to scrape a draw. At the end of the season they won’t be far from the top of the table.

With our first visit to East Belfast in the Intermediate Cup it was nice for me to go back to a club that I previously managed and with such good memories of time spent there. They looked after us well off the field and their hospitality was a credit to them. On the field they were less generous. They played well and with our failure to score, despite domination for most of the game and a bag full of chances created, they made it a very uncomfortable afternoon. A poor performance from us, but with the narrowest of narrow wins in the end.

Forget all thoughts of Mid-Ulster and Intermediate Cup games for the present. Today’s game is what this season is all about, the league championship and promotion. This is the long awaited, top of the table, clash between the two teams realistically poised for elevation to the Irish League Premiership. Forget also about recent form. The winner will be the team that is hungriest for the points on the day. Armagh City will of course be frustrated at dropping points in their last two league games and desperate to get back to their earlier winning streak and Colin Malone will have been doing his homework. However my players are prepared for the test and have my full confidence that they will get us the result we need. With maximum effort, a good performance and your support from the ‘stands we will get the job done. So take a tip from the Crescent Enders and let the players hear your support.

29th January 2005: What a great atmosphere at our Irish Cup game with Portadown. Of course we were all disappointed with the result but I personally was very pleased with the performance of my players. I felt we matched Portadown in every department, playing the better football for most of the game. A view shared by the football press in attendance. It was great to see a big crowd again at Mourneview. Everything about that day was what we want to return to at Glenavon, and, as I said in my last match programme notes, this is what makes the league campaign our first priority.

Last Saturday it was back down to the reality of our present situation when we travelled to Fivemiletown for an Intermediate Cup game. What a culture shock that was. If ever we needed a jolt to get us to put in the performances and get out of this league then this was it. All credit to our supporters who made the effort to travel to the game. It’s a pity no one warned you to bring your wellies. In this game we were always on a hiding to nothing. The pitch was a certain leveller. I personally didn’t think it was playable but I wanted the game out of the way. You would have needed to have tried to walk across it to appreciate what the players had to run and play football on. It was a matter of get the job done and get out and that’s exactly what we did. A day to forget.

Last Tuesday’s Mid-Ulster Cup visit by Banbridge Town made a few people at Mourneview very nervous. However, spectators on the night experienced a thoroughly enjoyable game. Banbridge contributed fully to the entertainment, playing the kind of attractive football that defeated Cliftonville in the Irish cup and made them favourites for promotion from the second division. However, my players put up a superb show, creating a bagful of chances and scored the goals that banished the memories of Town’s last visit.

Today, thankfully, it’s back to the league campaign with the first visit if Donegal Celtic. DC are putting up a realistic challenge for promotion, and rightly so. They are a good side with good results behind them this season. I see this as a very tough encounter but I have confidence in my players. Another good performance, and your support from the ‘stands, will get us the result we need.

15th January 2005:Today’s game is a massive one for us, a repeat of last year’s fifth round, except this time we have home advantage. Like last year Portadown are hot favourites, and rightly so. They are a quality side, scoring goals for fun, and they will seek revenge for last year’s result. But important as this game certainly is, it is difficult for me to take my mind off the league campaign. Circumstances dictate that promotion is our main goal with advancement in cup competitions just a bonus. Success in cup competitions will mean little if we fail to top the First Division at the end of the season.

Still unbeaten in the league we intend to keep it that way. At Coagh we had a great result, winning three nil. Coagh are a good side and they made it very hard for us. A lot of teams will find it difficult to take points off them. Then came the Bangor game. One in which we dominated and created enough chances to win three games. After going a goal down from their penalty and having a perfectly good goal disallowed my players showed character to keep going and get a point. A point that was the very least they deserved. The frustrating part is that we aren’t able to play a league game every week. After today’s cup game we don’t play in the league for another two weeks because of an outstanding Intermediate Cup encounter with Fivemiletown, a game that we tried unsuccessfully to bring to Mourneview Park last Tuesday. However, this is something we have no control over so we just have to get on with it. We also have a mid-week Mid-Ulster Cup game with Banbridge Town coming up. I think you’ll agree we have a score to settle with that one.

On the player front we have added two new faces to the squad, Paul Evans and Derek Delaney. Paul has pace, energy and experience and can score goals as well as create them. Derek is an out and out striker with bags of ability. I signed him for Larne, from Drogheda, where he did a great job. I’m confident he’ll do the same for Glenavon.

Back to today’s game. Needless to say we have a very tough job on our hands but we have prepared for it and I have every confidence in my players. I know they are up for the challenge. You, the supporters, can also play your part. So get behind the team and let them hear you from the terraces.

27th November 2004: Last Saturday was good for a number of reasons. Collecting three points against a side capable of causing problems for any team, and Gerard McMahon scoring the winning goal and battling through ninety minutes of a tough game. It’s great to see a player, who has suffered such a crippling injury, then repeated surgery, come out the other end a winner. Playing a full competitive game and scoring the winner for the club he loves must be something that, during the bad times, he thought he might never do again. I’m sure everyone salutes Gerard on this achievement. It was great for him and a massive boost for Glenavon.

It was good to have more of my squad available and that meant I had hard decisions to make. But it is now up to those players not selected to push for their place. The first half I thought we were marginally the better team, but early in the second half we took control and deserved to win. Less pleasing was the behaviour of the Ballyclare bench who, at every opportunity, tried to intimidate the referee. In yet another game played without qualified assistant referees, they were certainly influential in the booking of Stephen McAlorum. Stephen had another fine game causing endless problems for Ballyclare.

Johnny Montgomery had a great debut and was unlucky not to score from a powerful header in the second half. He certainly did enough to prove that we were right to compete for his signature when he became available. Aiden McVeigh, returning after illness and injury, certainly put himself about and I believe he will get us goals this season. Space doesn’t allow me to mention every player and his contribution but, yes, it was a very good day at the office.

The Mid-Ulster game with Hanover on Tuesday allowed me to use players from the U18s and senior players who had missed out recently. Some of my players failed to impress on this occasion but all credit must go to Hanover for their battling display.

The league games, when we get to play them, are all ‘big’ games. There is a lot of pressure on management and players because expectations are so high. I am happy to live with that and, against Ballyclare, I thought the players did enough to show that they can live up to those expectations. Dundela have started well in this league after promotion. I know a lot of their players and I expect a very tough game today. But it will also be tough for Dundela and I am confidant that we can collect another three points.

20th November 2004: It was a relief to secure the points from our last league game. The Welders came here confident of winning and treated the game like their cup final. The first half was typical of what we have to deal with this season. Like losing our two centre backs with injuries early in the game. Their ‘route one’ tactic was effective for them and caused us a few problems. However, my players showed a lot of character to overcome the early setbacks, control the game and deservedly get the result.

It’s disappointing to lose any cup final and the result against Bangor was just that. To be two goals adrift at the interval gave us an enormous task in the second half. Bangor then defended their lead and played no football whatsoever. I believe that if we had taken our early chances in the second half we would have won the game. However, poor finishing on our part and some bizarre refereeing decisions combined to ensure the trophy went to Bangor. Its history now and we must concentrate on collecting league points.

Preparing for the game at Crumlin was, as has been the case too often lately, a matter of taking a head count of the walking wounded and then seeing who was left. Gerard McMahon was also ruled out by his international status. I was not prepared to take risks with any players carrying injuries and selected the team accordingly. The players gave a very disciplined and professional performance and with some better finishing could have won by an even greater margin.

My management team are well aware that an out and out striker may have made a big difference to recent score lines and we are working hard to put that right. The search continues, but not only for a striker, and when we identify the right player or players we will do what we can to bring them to Mourneview.

Today’s game will be a difficult test against a Ballyclare team capable of causing problems for any opposition. Hopefully we will have some players back from injury and ready to take maximum points from the game. Finally, I want to thank everyone for the tremendous support at the cup final. It was very much appreciated by the players. At Crumlin too the crowd, though smaller, really got behind the players. More of the same today please.

30th October 2004: Hardly surprisingly I have had mixed emotions this week as I looked forward to our next two games. Excitement on getting back to our league programme with Harland and Wolf Welders today and the prospect of a cup final with Bangor on Tuesday night. That mixed with embarrassment and frustration, when I look back on the shambles that was our mauling at the hands of Banbridge Town last Saturday.

I truly can understand the frustration and anger of our supporters at the result and the performance that was supposed to pass for football and I must apologise for it. It was, by far, the worst performance by any team that I have ever been involved with. The game started so well for us when we were in control, created a couple of chances, then scored and that should have set the pattern for the remainder. But then the nightmare started and we gifted them goals, and pathetically struggled just to stay in the game.

As manager of this club I take full responsibility for this defeat. I am a proud man and the performance and result hurts me both personally and professionally. I hope that you, the supporters, never have to endure anything like it again. We must now put that game behind us and move on

The game today is a very important one for us. Because of other competitions being allowed to interfere with the smooth running of the league The Welders have played three games more than us and have points in the bag as well. This puts more pressure on us in today’s match and, as we play catch-up in our other games in hand. However, I have confidence in my own ability and in my team’s ability to get us the results we need. .

I don’t normally like to look further ahead than our next game but as we prepare to get the points from today’s game we must be thinking of the Daily Mirror Trophy final as well. I hope that we can bring a large support on Tuesday night and that you all get behind the team and make yourselves heard. We will be doing everything in our power to bring the trophy back to Mourneview Park.

23rd October 2004: Here we are nine games into the season and so far we have chalked up seven wins, two draws and are looking forward to a cup final. At any other club in the league this would be called a great start to the season but not at Glenavon. The expectation level is such that we are expected to win every game by three or four goals. This is just not going to happen. All our opponents so far have approached games with us in a very negative style and are totally defensive minded. Ballinamallard United was a typical example. Both their chairman and manager, to their credit, admitted to me after the match that their game plan was to stop us playing rather than taking us on in an attacking fashion which they knew would have suited Glenavon. I have no criticism of this tactic but I want our supporters to realise just how difficult this makes it for players when only one team wants to attack.

The majority of our supporters are getting behind the team with their vocal support. The travelling support to Moyola and Ballinamallard was outstanding and we are all very appreciative of that. However, there does seem to be a small number of people who seem to think that the way to help the team is to verbally abuse players when things aren’t going our way. I can understand that at times some supporters may get frustrated or even angry but personal abuse of individual players has a very negative effect on the team as a whole. When things are going against us is the times that support from the stands and terracing is most needed, to lift players and help them raise their game.

There is one group of supporters known as ‘The Crescent Enders’. If only there were more of them. Their vocals are an inspiration. So thank you lads and lasses and keep it up. It is very much appreciated.

Today its back to the Bob Radcliffe cup and we welcome the management and players of Banbridge Town. Banbridge are a good side as we saw when we travelled there as part of our pre-season build up. I expect every player to be on top of his game to ensure that we proceed to the next round. With the help and support of you all we will do it together.

14th August 2004: Since the end of last season my management team have been working very hard to prepare for what may be the most important season in the history of Glenavon Football Club. There are many new faces in the playing staff at Mourneview this season. Each one being specifically targeted for a particular role in a squad that will strive to bring Glenavon back to the top flight at the first attempt. Personally I am very happy with the quality of players we have signed so far. They have all settled in very quickly. The new players, and the more familiar faces, have blended well and pre season training has been excellent. Some players from last season have moved on and I wish them well for the future. However, targeting of quality players will continue and if the right players become available then we will compete for their signatures.

The Royal Mail Charity Cup match at Shamrock Park probably came to soon for us against a quality Portadown side that already had played a number of games including one in Europe. However, I thought we competed quite well. Since then we have improved considerably in our pre season games with a number of good performances, particularly against Coleraine and Crusaders.

The season is starting with five sectional games in the Daily Mirror trophy. This will be excellent preparation so that we can hit the ground running when the league gets under way at the end of September. Promotion is the priority this season but I can assure everyone that we will strive to win every competition we are involved in.

Mourneview Park will host some unfamiliar names this season and Glenavon supporters will travel to some unfamiliar destinations. There are tough cup competitions ahead and the First Division is an extremely tough league to win. But we must win it. I am asking the supporters to enjoy the experience and get behind the team at home and away. The players need the supporters to travel to all our away games and be heard from the terracing. With your help and everyone pulling together we will get the job done.

Last year's Manager's page is archived here.