Jim Magilton confident there's much more to come from Cliftonville and admits he'll 'be hunting high and low' in January transfer window

Despite losing star quality in Ronan Hale, Sam Ashford and Ben Wilson last summer, Magilton once again has the Solitude outfit fighting at the Premiership’s top-end, currently sitting seven points adrift of leaders Linfield in second while they’ll face Larne in the BetMcLean Cup semi-finals.

The form of Joe Gormley has been key with the Irish League great currently sitting top of the goalscoring charts on 14 after netting hat-tricks against Dungannon Swifts and Loughgall last month.

Magilton has also continued to build on solid foundations with only Linfield (16) and Larne (12), who have played four games fewer, conceding less goals than their 17, which has helped compile a run of only one defeat in their last eight league games ahead of Saturday’s trip to Portadown.

As many managers would admit, January isn’t the ideal time of the season to be searching for quality with most high-end options tied down by their respective clubs, but Magilton will be trying his best to get some business done.

"We want to be as busy as we possibly can in terms of bringing the right quality and individual into the group that enhances us,” he said. "If we're able to do that then fantastic.

"The board and the chairman have been so supportive so if we target someone we'll try our best to bring them in.

"It's really tough (to bring quality in during January) and no manager likes it. Unless there's a standout player then it's very difficult because it's a guessing game and given we've taken more time to bed in new players, January can be the same.

"Unless you're 100% certain, and you never are, but unless you know that person will make a difference then it can be a difficult one. We say all that but we'll still be hunting high and low to get the right ones in."

Magilton acquired 13 players during the summer window while the same number departed on a permanent basis, including the likes of Paddy Burns, Chris Curran, Stephen Mallon and the aforementioned attacking trio of Hale, Ashford and Wilson.

It meant the Reds had to undertake a rebuild of sorts and Magilton feels they’re starting to hit their stride now after taking some time to bed in.

"We'd a lot of changes and it took players a bit more time than we anticipated to settle into the club and league,” he added. "Once we got that consistency we had a spell where we played extremely well and there were one or two games where I felt we'd total control, so that gave us great confidence.

"I know we're capable of more which is great - if I thought we were at the height of our powers then I'd worry. I think we're capable of more, there's more to come from all the players and we'll be looking to strengthen in January to make us better.

"I always had great faith in the players we retained, that was never an issue.

"Outside of the four walls of our changing room a big thing was made of it (losing players), and quite rightly because of the quality and the lads that had performed so well for us, but there was always a belief that when we gained a bit of consistency in our play we'd create opportunities.

"Given the attacking prowess we still have at the club I knew they'd score goals and notably Joe, who has had a fantastic first half of the season."