"Unbeatable"

Glenavon Under 16’s Season Review 2003/04

We could not have had a harder start to the season with two games against Glentoran, Linfield and Ards in the first month. Three wins 2 – 0 and 2 – 1 against the Glens, beating Ards 1 – 0 and a draw with Linfield give us 10 points, an excellent start to any season. The squad was on a high from the opening four fixtures, they won the next five on the trot by scoring 23 and just conceding 4. Injuries start to mount up with Benny Gray having to sit out the rest of the season and Adam Patton and Alan Davision who both didn’t return until the New Year.

Luckily, we signed two players in Andrew Uprichard and Shane Finnegan, both lads turns out to be excellent players for the squad. The next six league games resulted in three wins and three draws, by this stage of the season the matches were becoming harder as every team that we played was out to stop our unbeaten run. Furthermore, the squad progressed to the Shield final against Linfield on New Years Day. In the final, goals from Darren McCall and Gary Liggett gave Glenavon a deserved victory in a game that we bossed from start to finish.

On entering February we had opened up a gap in the league over Linfield and Glentoran and after 5 – 0 and 4 – 1 wins over Larne and Carrick Rangers things were looking good, but a disappointing 1 –1 draw with Ballyclare Comrades let the chasing teams catch up a bit on us. March saw us win two cup games therefore letting us progress to the semi-final of the cup against Carnmoney Colts with the other semi-final pairing up Linfield and Glentoran. While the Glens won 2 – 0 we beat Carnmoney 5 – 0 with four goals from Gary Liggett and the other from John Young. Back in the league we collected four points from a possible six but the gap at the top had closed to just two points. Entering the last four league games the squad knew that they had to gain ten points to secure the title. A feeling of strength and self-belief had established itself and everyone was ready to stand and be counted. The thinking was that if we have come this far in the season unbeaten it must continue. After two wins and a nail biting, 1 – 1 draw with Linfield, which saw John Young score, an excellent free kick the league went down to the final game against Carnmoney at Mourneview Park.

In this final league game Glenavon took the lead on 30 minutes when top scorer, Gary Liggett, shot home from ten yards. Carnmoney leveled two minutes into the second half, but two quick goals from Darren McCall and Shane Finnengan won the game and the league for Glenavon, but not before Carnmoney caused hearts to flutter with a great second goal of their own.

With the league won we had still another cup final to look forward to against the Glens, there was great talk of the Glens ending our unbeaten run. They drafted in under 18 players and also more experienced players from their reserve team. The Glentoran side settled quicker and had more of the play but it was Glenavon who had the better chances. Finally, the Glens were made to pay when time and space was given to Shane Finnegan to smash home from 12 yards. Five minutes into the second half Glentoran hit back with a goal. Then stepped up Gary Liggett, for his 31^st goal of the season, to cut past two defenders and curl in from 20 yards, a goal good enough to win any cup final. The final whistle brought scenes of total enjoyment to the Glenavon squad, UNBEATEN all season in both Cups and League.

On behalf of Bill Richardson and Stevie Crowe I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who made this a memorable season for the Glenavon Under 16’s. These people included Alfie Wylie, Seamus Heath, Neal Sloane, the Glenavon Directors who laid on a meal for the squad after the final, and Brendan Grimes, manager of the Glenavon under 18’s. To further this list a very special word of thanks must go to all the parents of the players for providing transport throughout the season and also to John McCartney for sponsoring player and top goal scorer awards. But most of all Bill would like to thank the players for putting in the hard work to gain this memorable season.

Deane Burrell