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With the Glens now being back home at the Oval the decade started with a renewed air of optimism after the bleak trophy-less years of the forties.
The squad itself was taking on a new shape with new stars emerging in the Green, Red and black. Names such as Sammy Hughes, Noel McCarthy, Cecil Moore, John "Bap" Dunlop, John " Dano" Feeney and many more. In 1950 the Glens lifted the Co Antrim Shield again but in 1951 the recently dormant Oval volcano erupted. The Glens lifted the League title, City Cup, Gold Cup, Ulster Cup and won the Bass Irish Cup!
The Bass Irish Cup success was a 3-1 won victory over Ballymena at Windsor Park. The team was as
follows:
Moore; Dunlop; McCarthy; Mulholland; T Hughes; Ferran; Cunningham; Ewing; S Hughes; Williamson; Feeney.
Goal scorers were; Hughes (2) and Williamson.
The Gold Cup win was an interesting one. Although the 1942 victory was the first time the Glens had lifted it, the 2-1 win against Glenavon this year is the only one the league officially recognises due to the reduced league format in the war-time competition.
Lord
Brookeborough presents the Gold Cup to Noel McCarthy
It was a period of relentless cross channel transfer activity and consequently the rest of the decade was rather an anti-climax after the thunderous start the Glens had made.
The Irish League was lifted again in 1953, but in the Irish Cup the Glens were to lose three in succession.
In 1952 Ards beat them 1-0 at Windsor Park, in 1954 Derry City also beat them 1-0 at Windsor Park after two draws; 2-2 and 0-0. In 1956 Distillery were the 1-0 victors at Windsor, also after two draws, also both 2-2 and 0-0!
The Ulster Cup was lifted again in 1953 along with the City Cup which was also collected in 1957 along with the Co Antrim Shield.
All in all it was not tremendous decade for the Glens after a wonderful start, however the Glens never had a consistent line up for any length of time with the busy transfer market hitting an all time high and international appearances for the Glentoran stars becoming a regular occurrence. Many famous players came and went in this decade details of which are covered in a separate section in this site.
Glentoran
Under Manager Tommy Briggs
Photo
presented with the boys book "The Rover"
St Mirren, Burnley, Luton Town and Dutch side BVV visited the Oval during this period and of the pitch Bobby McGregor turned down Blackpool to become the trainer for Glentoran.
Off the pitch the board was increased from 9 members to 12 as allowed in the revised Articles of Association and the temporary stand was sold to Londonderry Council for use at The Brandywell for £1000. New dressing rooms and a Gym were built and the entire ground was bought lock, stock and barrel for only £4,250 in December 1959 from Dixon Estates. A successful period of the pitch but a slightly disappointing one on it.
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