Irish Premiership: What is going wrong at Glentoran this season?

Investor Ali Pour, who owns 95% of the club, has tried to move Glentoran forward and, since he became involved in 2019, the Glens have brought in over 80 new players.

Yet, the investment has not led to a single top-two finish in the Irish Premiership, while the side has also struggled in European games and failed to reap the financial rewards success on the continent brings.

Pour, who flew in for the Bangor match, said the expectations for the club are known by the experienced Devine.

“Decky knows [the expectation of silverware] and the facts are facts,” Pour told BBC Radio Ulster’s Sportsound before the match.

“Decky has had the biggest budget of any manager. This is his squad, every single player he has hand-picked, so the pressure is on and he’s aware of that.

“He’s been around, he’s had experience and he knows what is expected of him. I don’t need to tell him, he knows.

Pour added that before Saturday’s game he had spoken with Devine about his position.

“This morning he said, ‘Ali, if I thought I can’t pull this off, if I thought I can’t manage this team, I will be having a chat with you, shake hands and I’m gone’.

“He’s a man of honour, a man of integrity, he’s highly qualified and he knows what’s expected from him and that’s it. It makes my life a lot easier.

“We haven’t had the easiest games, and we have players injured but that’s not an excuse, we shouldn’t have lost the games we have lost. The players are aware, we have to improve, there’s no doubt.”

It is still early in the campaign, but there have been plenty of worrying signs for the east Belfast side so far.

For Devine and his players, the next few weeks will be crucial as the fixtures continue to come thick and fast and patience among supporters wears thinner.

Coleraine’s visit to the Oval on Tuesday will provide a real acid test and the outcome of the game may go a long way in deciding the manager’s future.