Former Glenavon star feels relegation battle shows clubs 'never too big' for trouble - and predicts crucial Irish League clash
Former Glenavon ace Shane McCabe believes the Premiership’s relegation battle is a clear example that clubs are “never too big” to fall upon tough times – but hopes his old side can drag themselves away from a perilous position.
The Lurgan Blues currently sit bottom of Northern Ireland’s top-flight with Michael O’Connor’s men two points behind Saturday’s opponents Crusaders in the fight to avoid an automatic drop to the Championship.
If Glenavon were to lose at Mourneview Park this weekend, they’d fall into the second-tier for a first time since the 2004/05 campaign – the Co Armagh club ended the previous season bottom of the Premiership with just 16 points.
McCabe was part of that squad which suffered relegation before Glenavon immediately bounced back to the top-flight having finished second behind league champions Armagh City.
They took Crusaders’ spot in the Premiership with the North Belfast club dropping down in 2005, but they also only spent one season in the Championship before returning to mix it against Northern Ireland’s elite.
Both Glenavon and Crusaders have savoured significant success since – the former won two Irish Cups under Gary Hamilton while Stephen Baxter enjoyed a trophy-laden two-decade reign at Seaview, which included four Irish Cup crowns and three Premiership title triumphs.
At least one of them – and potentially both – will be plying their trade outside of the Premiership next season and McCabe believes no club can consider themselves safe in an ever-changing Irish League landscape.
"You have big, big clubs at the wrong end of the table,” he said. “I know Glenavon have got some funding, Crusaders thought about it and didn’t go for it so that curtailed them.
"Most of the other teams that are above them, apart from the likes of Dungannon and Portadown, a lot of the other clubs have outside funding and that seems to have been massively impactful over the season.
"You’re never too big...once players think they’re at a big club and take their eye off the ball, they’ll get dragged into a relegation battle.
"The first season I played in the Premiership, we were relegated with Glenavon under Alfie Wylie and Tommy Kincaid – Glenavon don’t want to be back in the Championship because it’s a difficult league to get out of.”
O’Connor took over at Glenavon with the club coming off the back of 11 consecutive league defeats, but is on the cusp of completing what would be considered one of the Irish League’s greatest escapes.
McCabe predicts the Lurgan Blues could run out narrow victors this weekend – a result which would send a dramatic battle to the final fixture.
"Crusaders have had a very poor season by their standards, but so have Glenavon,” he added. “Glenavon have struggled.
"They’ve had a change of manager and to be fair to Michael O’Connor and his team, they’ve seen a great response.
"The great response will be remembered this year, but if they’re to go down to the Championship it will probably be forgotten about.
"They really need to win that match, they’ll be all out to win it. They have a young, vibrant team so there’ll be no real fear.
"It’ll be a nervous time for Crusaders, I can see Glenavon really pushing them. The Glenavon support will be there in their numbers and they’ll be loud.
"Once they can connect with the team, Glenavon fans will get behind you in their numbers.
"It’ll be a brilliant match...I don’t know how to call it, but I’d maybe go for Glenavon coming out with a 2-1 win.”