Article: published on 6 August 2024

Glenavon will hope for an improved league placing in 2024-25 after what at one stage looked a promising campaign last season ultimately petered out somewhat in the latter stages.

Summer departures have included the retired Sean Ward and experienced midfielders Robert Garrett and Conor McCloskey.

Among manager Stephen McDonnell's new recruits are much travelled strikers David McDaid and Michael O'Connor and Rhys Marshall, who begins a second stint at the club after re-joining the Lurgan Blues from Glentoran.

Transfers In: Barney McKeown, David McDaid, James Carroll, Michael O'Connor, Rhys Marshall, Keith Ward.

Transfers Out: Bobby Deane [loan], Cohan Henderson [loan], Conor Kerr, Conor McCloskey, Darren Clarke, Gavin Hodgins [end of loan], Lido Lotefa, Odhran Smyth, Robert Garrett, Sean Ward [retired].

Joel Taggart's take: A poor start and a poor finish last term with a brief positive spell mid season.

The harsh reality was that Glenavon finished in their worst league position since 2012. They lost six of their last seven league games and managed just 11 points after beating Newry City on Boxing Day until the end of the season.

Stephen McDonnell will hope to see an improvement after having a first pre-season with the players.

Opening fixtures: 10/8 - Carrick Rangers (a); 17/8 - Cliftonville (h); 20/8 - Linfield (h) - live on BBC Sport NI; 24/8 - Coleraine (a)