Glentoran v. Danske Bank Premiership Season 2020-2021 Look at Linfield Windsor Park, Belfast Tuesday, 23 February, 2021 Kick-off: 7.45 p.m. Danske Bank Premiership Champions 2019-20 Official Matchday Programme: £3 l Volume 50, No.6 what’s the ord romw U B f T B A L L C L E L D F O O ? F L I N F I sor V O I C E O ind H E wn T Today's game is being streamed live by n Linfield tv in partnership with 247.tv Full Linfield returned to the top of the Danske commentary is again being provided by Bank NIFL Premiership table, following last Jonny Martin and former Linfield midfielder week’s win against Glenavon at Mourneview Philip Mitchell. Full members, senior Park. The 2-1 win was hard fought and our members and life members have been players displayed typical Linfield character provided with an email link to access today's and resilience to bounce back from a half game, with other supporters able to time deficit, to seal the win. The decisive purchase the link for £7.50 from winning strike from Jordan Stewart was a 247.tv/niprem Feedback on our previous goal of the season contender and a goal fit to Linfield tv productions in partnership with win any game in any league in the world. 247.tv has been very positive. There are a lot of league matches scheduled n Several of our upcoming games are due to be between now and the end of the season and broadcast live by BBC. Our home game last week's win at a tough venue in against Coleraine will be broadcast live by Mourneview Park can hopefully instil BBC TV on Friday January 15, while our away confidence and momentum to carry the games at Crusaders and Cliftonville are due squad forward into today's huge derby fixture. to be streamed live by BBC online on January n 19 and 26 respectively. Government Restrictions arising from the n corona virus pandemic are having a huge Linfield have been drawn at home to Annagh impact on the local game, with all January United from the NIFL Championship in the elite sport fixtures only able to take place opening round of the Irish Cup. At present, behind closed doors. Even tougher there is no date scheduled for this opening round of the competition. restrictions forced the cancelation of all n fixtures scheduled for December 26 and 29 Joel Cooper has re-joined the club on loan and there is no doubt that the absence of from Oxford United until the end of the supporters at games is leaving a huge hole season and Matthew Shevlin has moved to in club finances across the country and one Coleraine with the best wishes of everyone at that will require government subsidy. Our the club. n supporters are greatly missed at our games With no spectators in attendance at today's and this club looks forward to the day when it behind closed doors game, programme will be possible and safe for supporters to production has been scaled back and Linfield return to their usual vantage points in stands FC would acknowledge the cooperation of our and terraces around the country. long-standing printers, Edenderry Print in n Glentoran are today’s visitors to Windsor making this issue of 'Look at Linfield' Park for this behind closed doors game available online on Linfieldfc.com which has been delayed since its traditional n The Linfield Superstore is presently closed Boxing Day date. In the previous game under the current government lockdown between the two sides, a late Jimmy restrictions and this club would acknowledge Callacher goal rescued a valuable point in a the support the Online Superstore has 3-3 draw at Windsor Park and a similar close received over the course of the difficult encounter is expected between the two trading conditions experienced in the past teams this afternoon. Glentoran are presently nine months, in seventh position in the league table, with n Belated best wishes to all our supporters for 14 points from their 11 league games played a much happier New Year than we were able to date. to enjoy in the previous year. Look at Linfield l 03 today’s team line-ups Glentoran Linfield Elliott Morris 01 Chris Johns 01 William Garrett 02 Alex Moore 40 Marcus Kane 03 David Walsh 51 Luke McCullough 04 Mark Stafford 02 Gael Bigirimana 05 Ross Larkin 03 Chris Gallagher 06 Michael Newberry 04 Jamie McDonagh 07 Mark Haughey 05 Dale Gorman 08 Jimmy Callacher 06 Paul O'Neill 09 Andrew Waterworth 07 Rory Donnelly 10 Christy Manzinga 09 Robbie McDaid 11 Jordan Stewart 10 Andy Mitchell 12 Kirk Millar 12 Cameron Stewart 14 Shayne Lavery 14 Patrick McClean 15 Navid Nasseri 15 Seanan Clucas 16 Bobby Burns 17 Matthew Clarke 16 Rory Brown 18 Kyle McClean 18 Ciaran O'Connor 19 Stephen Fallon 20 Mal Smith 20 Jamie Mulgrew 22 Joe Crowe 21 Ryan McGivern 23 Dayle Coleing 23 Conor Pepper 25 Caolan Marron 24 Niall Quinn 31 Hrvoje Plum 27 Cameron Palmer 35 Jay Donnelly 30 Joel Cooper 99 Keith Cowan 32 Look at Linfield l 04 by Linfield manager David Healy Today we are sure to face a hugely difficult challenge but one we have been preparing thoroughly for and looking forward to with eager anticipation. Glentoran were here at Windsor Park fairly recently and they came very close to leaving with all three points. Only Jimmy Callacher's last gasp headed equaliser salvaged the 3-3 draw for us, so we are fully aware of the dangers and threats that our visitors will provide us with today. Today's game should have been the traditional Boxing Day fixture played in front of the biggest attendance in local football but instead, the various corona virus restrictions mean that the game is taking place on today's date and with no supporters in attendance. It's a hugely disappointing state of affairs for everyone connected with football but one we've alas, all had to get used to due to the unprecedented circumstances that have taken over all our lives since last March when this pandemic struck. Although today's virtually empty stadium will be a strange experience for this particular fixture, once the referee blows his whistle at 3pm there will be a huge three points at stake and that will be our sole focus and motivation. We know that lots of our loyal and greatly missed supporters will be following the action on the live Linfield tv broadcast and we hope we can give them all a huge boost and lift with a strong performance and positive result in today's vitally important game. Last week's game at Mourneview Park got us back in action after an enforced break which saw the cancellation of the Christmas fixtures. It was a game in which traditional Linfield spirit, character and resilience saw us emerge victorious on the day. A strong second half display brought us two excellent goals and the winning strike from Jordan Stewart was stunning in its execution. While our win and results elsewhere meant we returned to the top of the table, we know there are a lot of tough challenges ahead and there will be plenty of twists and turns before the honours are handed out. We will keep working hard and approaching each game one game at a time and certainly, there is no bigger fixture than today's, with so much at stake for both clubs. Joel Cooper will join the squad for today's game, following his on loan signing from Oxford until the end of the season. We all know what a talent he is and what a welcome addition to our squad he will be. He has settled back into the squad in training, as if he hadn't been away. Matthew Shevlin has moved on to Coleraine and I thank him for his efforts and contribution during his time here and I wish him well in all he does in the future. Brandon Doyle has gone on loan to Warrenpoint until the season end. Christy Manzinga misses game two of a three game suspension today and I will complete game three of a three game suspension today. It was pleasing to welcome Navid Nasseri and Stephen Fallon back to action, following injury in last week's win away to Glenavon. Shayne Lavery missed last week's game at Glenavon with a knock picked up in training and he will again be a doubt for today’s game. It was pleasing to welcome Alex Moore back to the match day squad last weekend, following his lay off due to injury. Rather belatedly, I will conclude by wishing everyone in the Linfield family the happiest and safest New Year possible in these most uncertain times. Look at Linfield l 05 rth Andy Waterwo Age: 34 er Position: Strik who’s 7 quad number: S ilmore Rec., evious clubs: K Pr n Acc. and at who tillery, Hamilto Dis Glentoran ) 327 (41 as sub Appearances: ‘The Park’ Goals: 183 Linfield striker Andy Waterworth knows all about the ‘Big Two’ derby with Glentoran, having experienced it from both sides and he believes The Blues need to be better than they were in last week’s 2-1 win away to Glenavon. “A lot of things go out the window in a ‘Big Two’ derby. Tactics and everything else only get you so far in these games as they’re blood and thunder affairs.