Paddy McCourt reveals Declan Devine 'first to text me' after Glentoran end winless Irish League run

McCourt has been placed in charge on an interim basis alongside Tim McCann and helped the Glens end their four-game winless league run at Solitude thanks to goals from Jack Malone and Jordan Jenkins.

Here’s what McCourt said after the match:

BEEN A TOUGH PERIOD SO HOW SATISFYING IS THAT WIN?

"It’s great. I've been in football nearly my whole adult life and there's no better feeling than on a Saturday afternoon to get three points.

"But when you've not been picking up three points regularly and then you obviously have a manager lose his job and then you have an injury list like we do, when you come to a place like this and get three points, it's even sweeter.

"It's just a real good day and I'm delighted with the players.

"It was (gutsy), but I also thought we played some good football times.

"I thought we had some really good chances in the second half, Ross Clarke has one and the keeper makes a great save, Jordan Stewart had one…Cliftonville had chances too.

"The game seemed like we were having periods and then they would have periods, but I'm just really delighted to come out on the right side of it.”

ANY FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD WITH A NEW MANAGER BEING APPOINTED?

"I genuinely don't know.

"I've just been asked to keep the boys going and myself and Tim have been doing that.

"It's not my remit here (to be discussing new managers) so I haven’t asked.

"I hope that they are making progress because I think the players need it now and I think the club needs it now.

"There's seven days between now and the next game, I would imagine something will happen in the next seven days, but if not, then me and Tim will continue to do what we're doing.”

HOW HAS THIS WEEK BEEN FOR YOU, YOU’RE VERY CLOSE WITH DECLAN?

"It's been okay. We spoke on Tuesday and I’m gutted for Decky, but Declan is a proud man and he never, ever wanted to be here and outstay his welcome.

"He still speaks fondly about his time as a player here, that was 30-odd years ago.

"I think people will look back and go, ‘you've done a good job and it was a bad period of maybe five or six weeks’, but that's football.

"Declan's a big man. He was the first to text me there by the way, that just shows you the man that he is.

"It’s difficult, but I understand that that's football also.

"We can say, ‘is it harsh? Is it unfair?’ – it's just the way it is, especially if you're at a club that expect to be challenging for honours.

"We aren't stupid, we know we've been backed really well by the club and Ali (Pour, owner) in particular.

"When you have that backing and results don't come over a period, even if it is as short as three or four weeks, then you know these decisions can happen.

"It hurts, but you're also aware when you take jobs that a five or six week bad period can put you under pressure.”

DO YOU WANT TO STAY AT THE CLUB?

"I have agreed that I will help the club and help the players, that's what I'm doing.

"We've also agreed that when they appoint a new manager, we'll have another conversation and that's it.”