Irish League legend insists Glenavon reign 'won't define' Paddy McLaughlin - and ponders Gary Hamilton scenario
Irish League legend David Jeffrey insists Glenavon disappointment won’t define “excellent manager” Paddy McLaughlin – and wonders if the club would be in their current situation if they’d kept Gary Hamilton at the helm.
After losing nine consecutive league matches and with the Lurgan Blues sitting bottom of the Premiership, McLaughlin departed Mourneview Park last weekend.
McLaughlin arrived at the club having enjoyed success at both Institute and Cliftonville, leading the latter to League Cup glory, and also spent time as assistant manager to Ruaidhri Higgins at Derry City.
However, his Glenavon tenure lasted less than a year and followed the reign of Stephen McDonnell, which spanned just over 12 months.
In the 2023/24 season, Glenavon won only two of their opening 13 league matches and three of 19 the following campaign – the latter did include six draws against the likes of Larne, Dungannon Swifts and Glentoran.
This time around, they’re 10 points adrift at the bottom, but Jeffrey is backing McLaughlin to recover.
"I’ve got to put my cards on the table, I’m very much a Patrick McLaughlin fan,” Jeffrey said on BBC Sportsound. “He’s an excellent manager, what he did at Institute, Cliftonville before leaving to go to Derry City as assistant manager and then going to Glenavon.
“Barry Gray gave an excellent piece of insight (when he was on BBC Sportsound) where you can look at their start last season and the season before that, you’ve three managers now – Gary Hamilton, Stephen McDonnell and now Patrick.
"There’s something there which isn’t right and I’m not sure what it is.
"I’m bitterly disappointed that he’s no longer manager, but there comes a time as a manager that no matter what you say, what you do, whatever efforts you put in, what type of rousing team-talk you can give, sometimes things just don’t go your way.
“It’s better for the club, players and yourself to step away. This won’t define Patrick McLaughlin as a football manager and he will he back again before too long.”
Hamilton spent almost 12 years at the helm, winning two Irish Cup crowns and secured four third-placed Premiership finishes while developing a number of young players who would go on to earn moves across the water.
He departed in September 2023 and recently returned to management with Ballymacash Rangers, but Jeffrey wonders what would’ve happened if Hamilton had been allowed more time.
"Glenavon are an excellent club with tremendous tradition, wonderful people there,” he added. “It was at Glenavon where I had my last game as Linfield manager and my whole family were afforded such consideration.
"People shouldn’t be finger-pointing or looking to put blame, they’ve gone through a difficult period but they’re a good club with good people there. My hope is the next manager can be there that bit longer.
"For what it’s worth, I always thought allowing Gary Hamilton to go maybe wasn’t the correct decision, but in saying that, there always is a time for a manager and club to come to an end, which I know after 17.5 years at Linfield and seven at Ballymena United.
"I always wondered if they’d kept Gary if they’d have found themselves in this situation that they now do.”