Glentoran Approaches Cliftonville's Jim Magilton After Devine Exit

Glentoran have turned to Cliftonville manager Jim Magilton as their leading candidate to replace Declan Devine after a turbulent start to the season at the Oval.

Devine’s two-year spell in east Belfast ended on Monday, the poor early form proving too heavy a weight to carry into the winter. The change was swift. By Tuesday night, assistant managers Paddy McCourt and Tim McCann were in temporary charge as Irish Premiership leaders Coleraine arrived – and left – with all three points.

That defeat sharpened the focus. Glentoran have now made a formal approach to speak with Magilton, the man they believe can reset the direction of the club. The timing could hardly be more charged: the two sides are due to meet at Solitude on Saturday in a league fixture that suddenly carries a sub-plot far beyond the points on offer.

Jim Magilton's Impact

Magilton, 57, has rebuilt his reputation in Belfast. Appointed Cliftonville manager in 2023 as successor to Paddy McLaughlin, the former Northern Ireland international quickly delivered what generations of Reds supporters had craved. He guided the club to Irish Cup glory the following year, finally ending a 45-year wait for the trophy and stitching his name into Cliftonville folklore.

His impact did not stop there. Drawing on experience gathered at Ipswich Town, the Irish FA, Dundalk and Melbourne Victory, Magilton shaped a side capable of winning on multiple fronts. Cliftonville lifted the 2025 BetMcLean Cup under his watch, beating none other than Glentoran in the final to underline his growing authority in the domestic game.

That high was followed by a sting. Two months later, Cliftonville reached another Irish Cup final but lost out to Dungannon Swifts in the decider, a reminder of how thin the margins remain at the top of the Irish Premiership.

Now Glentoran want the man who has been causing them so many problems from the opposite dugout. The clubs are in talks over the approach, with Saturday’s meeting at Solitude looming as a potentially pivotal moment in both their seasons – and in Magilton’s next move.