Under-fire bosses manage to survive

ITHINK it would be a pretty safe assumption that Gary Hamilton and Stephen McDonnell enjoyed rather different weekends.

McDonnell could finally celebrate a Warrenpoint Town win in the Danske Bank Premiership, at the NINTH time of asking, and bizarrely means they are just four points behind Hamilton’s Glenavon.

Seven goals at Linfield was bad enough but to then ship in another six at Larne was incredible, but while many expected him or the club to bring an end to his reign, to his credit, he is battling on.

“I’m gutted. There’s no-one hurting more than myself. Not only am I the manager of this football club, I’m also a supporter, it’s a club close to my heart.

“I’m sure people are doubting me as a manager at this moment in time because of the last couple of results. There’ll be no-one who will fight harder to turn it around than me.”

McDonnell (left )wasina similar position, the somewhat surreal sight of Mickey and Minnie Mouse leading the teams out at Milltown on Saturday making it perfectly understandable that there would be a fairytale finish. Lorcan Forde’s last-gasp winner to see off Dungannon in a seven-goal thriller prompted scenes of delight and next up a trip to Coleraine who last lost a league game under Kearney when Mickey was Steamboat Willie.

“All I said to the boys was that I didn’t know what the people in charge of the club would think if we go and lose another game of football,” said McDonnell afterwards.

“We knew we had to find something. They turned it round and for a young group of players, they’ve shown b **** .”

It’s now time for Glenavon to do likewise, we need managers like Gary and Stephen to carry this league forward and for directors and chairman not to reach for the panic button.

As McDonnell put it himself: “I didn’t feel the pressure. I believe I’m the right man for the job and if someone else comes in, they would be coming into my squad. This is my squad and I put it together, so don’t bin the process after eight games.”