GLENAVON’S BID TO STAY IN THE PREMIERSHIP: THE STATISTICS

Glenavon’s improved form since Michael O’Connor’s appointment has raised hopes that the club can retain its Premiership status. How many points will be required to secure eleventh place and a promotion / relegation play-off? Here are the points totals achieved by the clubs which have finished 11^th in the NIFL Premiership since 2016:

Season	Club	Matches Played	Total Points
2015-16	Ballinamallard United	38	34
2016-17	Carrick Rangers	38	22
2017-18	Carrick Rangers	38	23
2018-19	Ards	38	27
2019-20	Warrenpoint Town	31	18
2020-21	Carrick Rangers	38	23
2021-22	Portadown	38	25
2022-23	Dungannon Swifts	38	30
2023-24	Ballymena United	38	28
2024-25	Carrick Rangers	38	32

The Premiership club has won the play-off against the second placed team in the Championship for the last four seasons and six times in the eight play-offs to be held since 2016. There was no play off in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 Covid-affected seasons.

Glenavon can avoid a play-off by finishing tenth. Here are the points totals achieved by the clubs which have finished 10^th in the NIFL Premiership since 2016:

Peter Campbell dribbles the ball past David Toure during the first half of Glenavon’s exciting 3-1 victory against Ballymena United.

Glenavon can avoid a play-off by finishing tenth. Here are the points totals achieved by the clubs which have finished 10^th in the NIFL Premiership since 2016:

Season	Club	Matches Played	Total Points
2015-16	Carrick Rangers	38	35
2016-17	Ballinamallard United	38	35
2017-18	Warrenpoint Town	38	30
2018-19	Warrenpoint Town	38	39
2019-20	Ballymena United	31	27
2020-21	Warrenpoint Town	38	36
2021-22	Carrick Rangers	38	34
2022-23	Newry City	38	30
2023-24	Glenavon	38	37
2024-25	Glenavon	38	46

Glenavon’s current record in the Premiership after 18 fixtures is three wins and 15 defeats. It has scored 13 goals and conceded 37. Its points total is nine. It is in bottom place. Carrick Rangers occupies 11^th position with 16 points from 15 matches and Crusaders is 10^th with 17 points from 17 games.

Glenavon’s record after 18 fixtures in last season’s Premiership was three wins, six draws and eight defeats. It had scored 11 goals and conceded 25. Its point total was 15. It occupied eleventh place in the table. Carrick Rangers was 10^th with 15 points from 17 games and Loughgall was bottom with 11 points from 18 matches.

Between match 19 and match 28 last season Glenavon won 6 drew 2 and lost 2. Its points total on 22^nd February 2025 was 35. The six wins were achieved versus Crusaders (3-1), Portadown (2-0), Ballymena United (2-0), Dungannon Swifts (3-2), Carrick Rangers (2-1) and Cliftonville (3-1).

In those six victories Peter Campbell scored four goals and provided two assists, Jack Malone scored three goals and provided one assist, Davy McDaid scored three goals, Michael O’Connor scored two goals and provided two assists and Paul McGovern scored one goal and provided one assist.