Three Glenavon players agree new contracts ahead of the 2023/24 season

The Lurgan Blues’ 2022/23 campaign ended in disappointment with a 5-0 defeat to Glentoran in the European play-off semi-final at The Oval on Wednesday evening – their first defeat in 11 matches.

They previously announced the addition of former Lincoln City trainee Bobby Deane from Dergview and there is further good news with Jack Malone signing a new three-year contract while Sean Ward and Robert Garrett have both penned one-year deals.

"Bobby has come in and we will talk to a couple of players over the next couple of days,” Hamilton told Glenavon’s YouTube channel.

"We will try and renew contracts and stuff like that. Sean Ward has agreed, Robert Garrett has agreed, Jack Malone has agreed a new deal and there are another couple.

"We are delighted Jack has agreed a three-year and Wardy and Ribs a one-year.

"We will have to again go searching. We looked in January with players coming out of contract at the end of the season. We know there isn’t much out there but we will have to keep searching high and far and see what we can get in.”

Upon announcing the signing of 19-year-old defender Deane, Hamilton told the club’s website: “He’s a big, strong boy who is technically very good. He was at Lincoln City when he turned 16 but unfortunately for him Covid held him back and he’s had a difficult time.

“Bobby spent pre-season at Coleraine but Oran Kearney felt it would be more beneficial for him to play men’s football rather than U20s as they had just signed (Dean) Jarvis from Larne.

“He’s had a really good season at Dergview and by all accounts he’s been tipped as one of the best prospects in the league.

“We’ve had him watched by people that I trust and we’ve brought him up and he’s trained with us, so we’ve seen him with our own eyes.

“He reminds me as the same type of player as a Micheal Glynn where he’s tactically very good and left footed – he can play with both but he’s predominantly left footed.

“From what we’ve seen of him in training we think he could actually play left wing or centre midfield as well but we’ll get a better look in pre-season, get him some game time and find out his best position.”