Gary Hamilton: The transfer market is more difficult than ever before but Glenavon will keep trying to improve squad

The Lurgan Blues have lost their opening four matches of the 2023/24 campaign, including last weekend’s 3-1 defeat at home to Newry City, and currently sit bottom of the table ahead of tonight’s trip to Loughgall.

Hamilton lost talisman and last season’s top-scorer Matthew Fitzpatrick to Linfield earlier this summer with early signs suggesting that Glenavon could struggle for goals this term unless a solution is found.

He has acquired quality in Niall Quinn from Linfield, but the left-back has had to sit out of the last three matches with a hamstring issue, while Stephen Teggart, Bobby Deane, Tiarnan Mulvenna, Andy Mooney and Jackson Nesbitt have also arrived at Mourneview Park – the latter three making a step-up from the fourth-tier.

"It's the same for everybody but it's really, really difficult" said Hamilton. “I've been managing for 11-and-a-half years and it's the most difficult it has ever been.

"Some of the money is crazy in the league and that has a knock-on effect for all the rest of us. You're seeing teams like Carrick now having six ex-full-time players and we can't compete with that.

"It's difficult but you just keep plugging away until the window closes to try and improve the squad.

"Of course we would like to (add players) because we've been looking all summer to bring players in.

"Maybe with it coming closer to deadline other clubs will have players they think they need to move on and that can happen closer to the deadline.

"There's nothing in the pipeline for definite. We have talked to clubs about certain players but there hasn't been any definite answers. We'll speak again and it's certainly not for the lack of trying."

In contrast to Glenavon’s form, newcomers Loughgall have kicked off their season by beating Newry City and Dungannon Swifts while pushing both Coleraine and Glentoran all the way.

Hamilton is expecting a tough test under the lights at Lakeview Park and has been impressed with the performances from Dean Smith’s side.

"We will have to come up with a game plan because it's going to be a difficult game against Loughgall,” he added. “We seen that with their results so far that they've came up with the confidence of winning games last year, winning the league title and a lot of their players are in the league for the first time.

"The enthusiasm is there, the hunger, the energy and that always happens - Newry was a prime example of that and so were Carrick a couple of years ago.

"They have confidence and live off that. I watched the game back against Glentoran and certainly they competed for large amounts of that game and were unlucky not to get something from it."