Gary Hamilton pays tribute to the departing Rhys Marshall

Gary Hamitlon says Rhys Marshall is the best player he has played with and worked with in the Irish League.
Rhys Marshall played his final game for Glenavon on SaturdayRhys Marshall played his final game for Glenavon on Saturday
Rhys Marshall played his final game for Glenavon on Saturday

The 24-year-old brought the curtain down on his Glenavon career on Saturday after ten years at Mourneview Park.

It wasn't the way he would have hoped to have signed off before making the switch to Shamrock Rovers as Glenavon exited the Irish Cup at the hands of Coleraine, but Hamilton paid tribute to Marshall after the game.

"I can't say a bad word about Rhys," he said.

"I was sitting thinking the other night about the bad games he has had for the club and I think I could only think of two, possibly three games.

"Apart from that in my six or seven years working with him here I couldn't think of another time when he had an average to poor game.

"That's the mark of a top player.

"He's the best player I have played with over here and the best player I have worked with over here.

"Rhys is a great kid, at the start he was an introvert, through time he has opened up and he has started to talk more and now he is one of the main people in the changing room.

"It's great that you've played a part in the development.

"He owes the club nothing, he's been here since he was 15.

"He has the opportunity now to go to a full time club in Shamrock Rovers, who for me are probably the biggest club in Ireland.

"It's an opportunity for him to go and play in a different league and prove he's a good player there as well, and maybe even get better through full time football.

"I find it hard to believe that he could get any better, but there is that potential.

"He'll be a good signing for them I just hope he settles because he's always been a home boy.

"We think the world of him and he'll always be welcome back here, it might not be in my time but I'm sure this club will always take him back.

"As a supporter of the club I'd love to see him back someday and pull the shirt on again."