Jim Magilton backing ​former colleague Stephen McDonnell to succeed at Glenavon

While serving as Sporting Director at League of Ireland outfit Dundalk, Magilton appointed McDonnell as the club’s academy manager after being impressed by his work at Warrenpoint Town.

Still only 31, McDonnell has replaced Gary Hamilton in the Glenavon hot seat and while he’s still searching for a maiden Premiership victory following defeats to Larne and Coleraine, the Lurgan Blues come into tonight’s fixture on the back of a midweek Mid-Ulster Cup quarter-final triumph over Newry City.

In stark contrast, Cliftonville are flying high in the league, sitting second after 11 matches while boasting the joint-best attacking record (they’ve scored 28) alongside conceding the fewest goals (five) in the top-flight.

It has been a triumphant return to management for Magilton and he believes McDonnell will make a success of his time in Lurgan.

"I hired Stephen (at Dundalk),” he said. “He was one of the first people I wanted to bring into the club.

"I have a lot of time for him, know him extremely well and I think he's an outstanding coach.

"My two nephews, Matthew and Josh Lynch, played under him at Warrenpoint so I used to go and watch them regularly and enjoyed the way he set up his teams and the way they played.

"It's going to take a little bit of time because anybody coming in to that club after Gary Hamilton's huge success is going to take a bit of time.

"He needs that time to bed in his own thoughts and stamp his personality on it.

"He's an outstanding coach and I think very highly of him.

"Simon Kelly (McDonnell’s assistant) is a great coach and has that connection with Glenavon.

"It's going to be short-term pain for long-term success for them.”

Cliftonville have certainly been exceeding pre-season expectations after a summer in which Levi Ives and Sean Moore both departed Solitude while Magilton was only appointed in June.

The former Northern Ireland international recruited superbly by bringing in star striker Ben Wilson, who has hit the ground running with 14 goals in as many games, while Sean Stewart and Sam Ashford have also made impressive starts.

Rory Hale and Joe Gormley have both been in stunning form too, but Magilton says his squad aren’t getting carried away.

"I think 11 games has given us a fair reflection of where we are in terms of performance levels, so that's great,” he added. “Immense credit must go to the players.

"It's easy to come in and want to try and implement things quickly, but to get this response is terrific.

"What I've found in every league I've managed in, but especially this one, is that unless you prepare for every game in the same manner and give it the same thorough process, you'll get burnt.

"Glenavon will get our full respect."