Eddie Patterson is named as new Glentoran manager

Eddie Patterson has been named as the new manager of Glentoran on a two-and-a-half year contract.

The Glentoran Board met on Tuesday night and the former Cliftonville boss was unveiled at a press conference at the Oval on Wednesday afternoon.

Patterson saw off the challenge of Newry boss Pat McGibbon to land the position after both men were re-interviewed for the job on Monday.

Roy Coyle will remain as Director of Football at the request of Patterson.

Paul Trainor and brothers Seamus and Tiernan Lynch will again form Patterson's backroom team, having worked with him previously at Cliftonville.

Roy Walker and Ian Foster were also interviewed last week and the Glens Board met on Tuesday evening to decide on their preferred candidate.

It is understood that Glens chairman Terence Brannigan met with Patterson on Wednesday morning to officially offer him the job and agree terms before the lunchtime press conference, when the appointment was confirmed.

Brannigan said that the club's directors were "very impressed with Eddie's strong passion for the game and his desire to be involved in all levels of football at Glentoran".

"We are all looking forward to an exciting future at Glentoran and we believe Eddie shares our vision to build a team that will play the kind of attractive football for which Glentoran became famous and to achieve the success we and our supporters want for our club."

"This is a fantastic club with a special history and I am excited about helping Glentoran create a great future," said Patterson.

"The team's recent results show that there is a strong resolve in this team and I want to strengthen and build on that.

"I have used the past few months to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of Irish League football and believe that this will help me as I work with the coaching and playing staff throughout the club to achieve the success that everyone at Glentoran demands."

Patterson guided Cliftonville from relegation candidates to championship challengers during his five-year tenure at Solitude, before being sacked by the club last April.

The former Chimney Corner manager recently applied unsuccessfully for the vacant managerial position at Ballymena United and also expressed an interest in becoming Glenavon boss before the appointment of Gary Hamilton.

Glentoran lie sixth in the Premiership table and were knocked out of the Irish Cup by Newington YC at the fifth-round stage, a defeat which prompted the resignation of Scott Young.

Coyle will retain responsibility for team affairs for Saturday's game against Coleraine, with Patterson assuming control from Monday.