Glentoran manager Declan Devine is “desperate to bring success back” to The Oval but knows that process will take time as his side continue to fight for consistency in a competitive Premiership campaign.

After losing to Portadown last weekend, the Glens have slipped to seventh ahead of hosting bitter rivals Linfield, who’ve opened up an eight-point advantage at the summit, on Friday night but remain only three points adrift of second-placed Cliftonville.

They’ve endured a mixed start to the season, winning only one of their last five league matches, but have recently secured progression into January’s Co Antrim Shield final, where they’ll face defending champions Larne.

The East Belfast outfit haven’t lifted a Premiership title since 2009 and while that’s undoubtedly the long-term goal, Devine admits his side are “very much in transition” after a squad overhaul during the summer.

placeholder image — Glentoran defeated Linfield 3-1 at Windsor Park last month. (Photo by Andrew McCarroll/Pacemaker Press)

"We have to get Glentoran back to being competitive in every competition,” he said. “It’s important we build a structure and a professionalism around the club that we reach that stage we are challenging for titles and cups.

"We’re desperate to bring success back to The Oval but we know that’s going to take time. We’ve got to the first cup final of the year, that’s a big positive. We believe the group we have is more than capable of putting a run of performances together.

"The fundamentals for us are to work extremely hard, play with an intensity, a hunger and a desire to get after teams but also be calm in possession of the ball, and to leave everything out on the pitch.

"I’m confident we can be dynamic and creative and be aggressive in our play. Any players we sign in January must be to strengthen and improve us. We won’t just go out and sign players for the sake of it."

The highlight of Glentoran’s season so far was undoubtedly their second half performance in a 3-1 win over the Blues at Windsor Park last month with Jay Donnelly, Frankie Hvid and Cammy Palmer all scoring after the break.

That will be the blueprint for Devine’s side heading into what is the first of three matches against Linfield before the New Year.

"For me it’s one of the biggest rivalries in Irish football,” he added. “It means a lot to a lot of people.

"Over recent years the supporters haven’t had much to shout about and get behind so the players deserved great credit on that night.

"The fans saw we were doing our best to really claw our way back into the game and then the second half the players responded and gave them something to go home happy about.

"The ambience between the players and the fans that night was something special so hopefully we can get that again on Friday night in good moments and in bad moments to give ourselves the best opportunity possible."