Jordan Stewart reasserts his Glentoran commitment after ‘proud moment’

Glentoran take on Glenavon this evening hoping to maintain their 100 per cent start to the season

Jordan Stewart says he is determined to repay the Glentoran fans with his performances on the pitch after the reception he received at The Oval on Saturday.

The winger made his return to east Belfast in the summer after a decade away from the club and at the time spoke of his desire to prove his passion for the club to the fans by helping them achieve success.

And Stewart was certainly good to his word against Portadown as he helped Declan Devine’s men make it back-to-back wins at the start of the season with the fans responding in appreciation as he left the pitch.

“Walking off to a standing ovation was a really proud moment for me,” said Stewart.

“To get that kind of reception on my first home game back is something I’ll never forget. I know I need to keep working hard and I’m determined to let my football do the talking to repay that faith.

“It’s been brilliant to be back. The set-up here is top class and everything is geared towards helping the players perform.

“Declan and his coaching staff are laser focused in their preparation, the attention to detail is incredible and that gives us real confidence going into every game.

“It’s also a fantastic group of lads. The togetherness is there, but so is the intensity, with everyone pushing each other and working hard to hit the ground running this season and to maintain those standards week after week.

“We know this season will bring challenges and there will be ups and downs along the way, but consistency in both results and performances will be key if we want to achieve our goals.

“I came back to this club to win things and I’m determined to play my part in helping deliver success. That determination is matched by every single member of the dressing room and if we keep building step by step, we’ll give ourselves the best possible chance.”

Successive 1-0 wins over Portadown and Bangor have taken Glentoran to the top of the league, but Stewart is wary of the threat posed by Glenavon, who find themselves at the other end of the table ahead of their visit to The Oval this evening.

“Glenavon will come here determined to get a result and get their season up and running,” he said.

“Every game in this league is a battle and if you’re not at it from the first whistle you get punished. Paddy McLaughlin will have them well organised and set up to play football and they’re a good side with quality players, so we know we’ll need to be at our best.

“For us, it’s about building on our start, continuing to improve as a group and making sure we keep putting points on the board, starting with three more against Glenavon on Tuesday night.

“We’ve made a really positive start with two wins, two clean sheets and six points, but we all know there’s more to come.

“The support we had against Bangor on Saturday was incredible. To see such a big crowd gave all of us a real lift and shows just how big this club really is.

“It’s up to us now to match that with performances on the pitch and give the fans a team they can be proud of.”