Former Coleraine defender Howard Beverland feels Conor McMenamin’s shock club exit has “probably worked out well for both parties” following his deadline day return to Glentoran.

McMenamin made a high-profile summer transfer to the Bannsiders from St Mirren in June, signing a “long-term deal”, but only 70 days later was on the move once again with Coleraine manager Ruaidhri Higgins highlighting a commute from Downpatrick as “not ideal”.

The 31-year-old registered just 157 minutes across all competitions and didn’t start in any of their four Premiership games this term.

As part of the agreement which sealed McMenamin’s return for a third spell at Glentoran – he scored 43 goals in 114 appearance across the first two – Joe Thomson moved in the opposite direction plus Coleraine received an undisclosed fee.

placeholder image — Conor McMenamin departed Coleraine after just over two months at the club. (Photo by Coleraine FC)

With McMenamin’s headline-grabbing switch not materialising as envisaged, Beverland believes it was in the best interest of both parties to find a solution and go their separate ways.

"Maybe at the outset the plan was to move closer, but that didn't materialise and it's good just to get an agreement and take the drama out of it to allow both parties to move on,” said Beverland. “You have a player who is potentially unhappy for personal reasons, is it worth digging your heels in as a club to demand ‘you're our player, we only signed you two months ago and you're here to stay for the foreseeable’?

"You could then have an unhappy player – an unhappy player doesn't help the changing room and certainly doesn't help you on the pitch.

"It kind of feels like one of those ones where it's probably worked out well for both parties.

"Coleraine were in the driving seat to demand or to request another player...Glentoran would have taken their hand off to get Conor, but Coleraine seem happy to get Joe Thomson in the door too.

"I think Ruaidhri worked with him at Derry City and he's happy because it gives him a different type of centre midfielder compared to maybe some of the players that he has.”

Coleraine entered the 2026/27 campaign as favourites for Gibson Cup glory – and their unbeaten start to the new season has only ramped up the expectation for many that they’ll be celebrating just a second title win come April.

Eight new players arrived at the Bannsiders this summer with activity rounded out on deadline day by the record-breaking capture of striker Adam Brooks from Crusaders.

"It just shows you the depth they have that they let Kodi Lyons-Foster go on loan to Ballymena,” added Beverland. “I was at the (NIFWA) awards when he was named in ‘Team of the Year’ during his time at Glentoran.

"It's very hard for a player if a manager for some reason doesn't feel like you're what he's looking for – it doesn't mean you're a bad player but it's very, very hard to get in and Coleraine have signed centre-halves.

"Then they signed Brooks from Crusaders…I think Coleraine are the target, I think they’re the favourites.

"It's not too often you put a team favourites ahead of the current champions either, which will play into Larne's hands because people are talking more about Coleraine than they are about them...they'll use that for their own motivation.”