Cliftonville takeover 'momentous occasion'
Cliftonville chairman Kieran Harding said that the impending takeover from the Toronto Investment Group [TIG] is a "momentous occasion" for the club.Cliftonville club members voted to accept a takeover proposal from the TIG at an extraordinary general meeting on Wednesday night.Whilst the legalities of the takeover by the Canadian consortium are still to be finalised, Harding believes it is a hugely significant step for the club."The members recognised the need for investment in the club to be able to compete," Harding told BBC's Sportsound programme."It was a momentous occasion, but it is with a heavy heart, we have always been a members club and that was a challenge for many of our members, but they knew we had to move with the times."It is testament to them and their vision that they have accepted the proposal."
'They have made a long-term commitment to the club'
Harding explained that the Canadian consortium will own 90% of the club whilst the members will have a 10% stake as the group were keen to let the members have a "voice" in the running of the club.Whilst he was unable to disclose how much money TIG are investing in the north Belfast side, he said it was "certainly millions"."They're a group from Canada and one is from Northern Ireland, Conor Devine, who played for Cliftonville and Dungannon," Harding added."The guys in Canada are huge businesspeople who have an interest in sport in Canada and beyond. "It's a long-term commitment they have made to the club; they want to transform the club as much as they can and that will start by transitioning into full-time football and how we can redevelop the ground and improve facilities."Harding hopes that the Reds' move to full-time football will take place over a number of years, but that plans for moving forward are still to be ratified."Over the next two to three years we will transition, but we haven't sat down yet with them to go through the detail of the timing of everything but that will take place next week."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
2 hours ago
- Reuters
Andreescu and Alexandrova off to winning start as rain stops play in 's-Hertogenbosch
June 10 (Reuters) - Bianca Andreescu and second seed Ekaterina Alexandrova both kicked off their grasscourt campaigns with solid first-round wins at the Libema Open in Den Bosch, as rain caused significant delays throughout Tuesday's second day of play. Andreescu eased past Taiwan's Joanna Garland 6-1 6-3 as the 24-year-old Canadian put on a strong performance without facing a single break point and secured victory in 74 minutes. The former U.S. Open champion, who missed out on qualifying for Roland Garros, will next face New Zealand's Lulu Sun. Alexandrova advanced to the second round with a composed 6-3 6-4 win over Georgia's Mariam Bolkvadze, despite a lengthy rain delay disrupting the first set. The Russian returned from the interruption unfazed, taking control from the baseline and racing to a 5-2 lead in the second set. After being broken while serving for the match and facing another break point in her next service game, Alexandrova regained her composure to close out the win and set up an all-Russian second-round showdown with Anna Blinkova. The match between defending champion Liudmila Samsonova and Canada's qualifier Carson Branstine was tied at one set apiece before the game was suspended due to darkness. Branstine had stunned top seed Samsonova by taking the first set 6-4 before the Russian levelled the match by winning the second 7-5. Play will resume on Wednesday. In the men's draw, American Reilly Opelka also overcame several rain delays to see off local favourite Jesper de Jong with a hard-fought 6-7(5) 7-6(5) 6-2 victory. Several matches had to be postponed to Wednesday due to rain, including Polish fifth seed Hubert Hurkacz against Spain's Roberto Bautista Agut, Briton Daniel Evans against Australia's Rinky Hijikata, and Greece's Maria Sakkari taking on Dutch wildcard Anouk Koevermans.
The National
13 hours ago
- The National
Luxury Scottish Highland lodge business on NC500 up for sale for £850k
Located in Kilmuir, Coille Na Creidge Lodges is approximately 10 minutes by car to Inverness city centre. The estate is described as being within a 12-acre plot of private woodland known as Craigbreck Wood and boasts "three luxury solid log Canadian style lodges". One lodge sits in a small clearing in the woodland with a hot tub on the private decking, with a log-burner inside the cabin. READ MORE: Thousands of visitors sign NC500 pledge for 'positive behaviours' in Highlands Another is marketed as looking towards a small lochan within the woodland, providing "complete privacy". The listing for the estate states the retreat has been developed and operated by a family lifestyle owner, but the business could "equally support remote ownership to release the exceptional owners' lodge". Gary Witham, director at Christie & Co, who is managing the sale, said: 'Coille Na Creige has an amazing beauty and tranquillity to it, despite being so close to the main hub of Inverness. "The business can be taken in various directions going forward and would sit well either as part of a leisure portfolio or continuing in owner operation.' Coille Na Creidge Lodges are on the market with a freehold asking price of £850,000. Planning permission is in place (subject to conditions) to add a further two lodges.
Time Out
a day ago
- Time Out
Montreal aims to bounce back as Formula 1 host after 2024 misstep
When it comes to Montreal's biggest party weekend of the year, the pressure is on. As the 2025 edition approaches (and despite a contract in place), rumours are swirling that Montreal's race might be at risk. The talk started with the 2024 failures of last year's edition. Now with the metro and bus strike, Montreal's air quality index at an all-time low thanks to the Canadian wildfires, plus the extreme summer 2025 forecast bringing post-tropical cyclones and torrential downpours, Montreal's ability and commitment to host is being seriously called into question. The Canadian Grand Prix attracts thousands of visitors to Montreal and captivates millions of viewers worldwide. Following major organizational issues and concerns from local businesses in 2024, this year's event could play a key role in determining the race's long-term future. What happened at F1 Montreal in 2024? Torrential rains flooded the paddocks and work areas used by Formula One teams. Drivers were reportedly late for key meetings due to delays caused by mismanaged construction zones. Poor communication between race organizers, the city, police, and Montreal's transit authority created major access problems for ticket holders. Some fans bypassed barriers and made their way onto the track. Meanwhile, restaurant patios were abruptly shut down during dinner service by the fire department for bylaw infractions. Is there a new app for the Formula 1 2025 edition? This year, the experience at the track should be much improved thanks to a new app which will help guide and inform fans of entertainment options on site. There will also be new colour-coded site maps and enhanced food options. You can find the app by clicking the link here.
