Latest news with #KennyBruce
Yahoo
08-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Larne season preview
2024-25 league position: 2nd Manager: Nathan Rooney Opening fixtures: Coleraine (A) - 10 August; Crusaders (H) - 15 August; Cliftonville (A) - 19 August (live on BBC iPlayer); Portadown (H) - 22 August; Ballymena United (H) - 29 August Having relinquished the league title to Linfield, this could be a season of transition for Larne after much change behind the scenes with owner Kenny Bruce, chief executive Niall Curneen and general manager Shay Kennedy all leaving the club. But with Nathan Rooney re-installed as manager after enrolling on his Uefa Pro Licence course, there is stability in the dugout and it has yielded positive European results over the summer. After seeing off Auda and Prishtina, Larne face Santa Clara in the third round of Uefa Conference League qualifying before starting their Premiership campaign away to Coleraine. Larne's 2024-25 campaign was disrupted by European commitments, which stretched their squad and left a fixture backlog. If they fail to reach the Conference League this time, they can focus their energy on winning back the title. But even if they embark on another European adventure, the majority of the squad will know what to expect. 2025-26 signings so far: Matt Ridley (Blyth Spartans), Dan Bent (Lincoln Red Imps), Kobei Moore (unattached), Alfie Bridgman (unattached). 2025-26 departures so far: Ali Omar, Joe Besant, Sean Brown, Shaun Want, Olatunde Bayode and Harrison Panayiotou (all unattached)
Belfast Telegraph
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Belfast Telegraph
Why Kenny Bruce's Larne story is so impressive, it should be made into a Steven Spielberg movie
In my column on Saturday, April 26, the headline was 'Larne could give revolutionary owner Kenny Bruce a dream send-off with Euro reward'. It related to my understanding ahead of Larne's final League game of the 2024/25 season that Mr Bruce's ownership role at Inver Park was coming to an end.
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'New era' for Larne as Bruce sells stake
Larne have confirmed that Kenny Bruce has sold his 50% stake in the Irish Premiership club. Bruce, the co-founder of an online estate agency, took over the then-Championship club in September 2017. Since then, Larne were promoted to the Premiership and won the club's first two top-flight titles in 2023 and 2024 before a run to the Uefa Conference League league phase last season. Advertisement In a statement on Wednesday, the Inver Park club said Redball Global FC's Nick Giannotti and Eric Perez, who are described as "two seasoned executives with deep experience in international football and sports business", have acquired Bruce's stake. American firm Redball are also involved with English Football League club Plymouth Argyle and League of Ireland side Athlone Town. "I have always said that when it came time to hand over my shareholding in the club it would be to people who could give Larne FC a competitive edge moving forward and I am firmly of the belief this is the case," said Bruce, native of the East Antrim town and lifelong fan of the club. "Since the moment our conversations began, both Nick and Eric have been an absolute pleasure to work with throughout the due diligence and legal process. Advertisement "Neither are strangers to football in this part of the world and I am confident they will bring immense value to Larne FC in the years ahead, with their drive and professional experience." More change at Larne In September 2023, an American business consortium bought a minority share in Larne, before the Veeck family - who previously owned Major League Baseball sides St. Louis Browns and Chicago White Sox - made a minority investment three months later. "We want to thank Kenny for all of his dedication to Larne. The club is in a strong position because of him, and his investments in infrastructure," said Giannotti. Advertisement "It's very exciting to join a club with a great community, a great ground, great partners, and more. Together I expect glorious days ahead." Bruce's departure marks the latest change for Larne. In November, Tiernan Lynch ended his seven-year reign as head coach to join Derry City. Lynch was soon replaced by Nathan Rooney. However, just three weeks into his tenure, the Englishman moved into the club's head of football role after it emerged he was unable to lead the team in their Uefa Conference League campaign as he did not hold the required licence. Gary Haveron assumed head coaching duties for the remainder of the 2024-25 season before Rooney was reinstalled as manager in May following his enrolment on a Uefa Pro Licence course. Advertisement In March, chief executive Niall Curneen left his role to take up a new role outside of the club, while last month general manager Shay Kennedy departed to become head of business operations for the Northern Ireland Football League [NIFL].
BBC News
09-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
'New era' for Larne as Bruce sells stake
Larne have confirmed that owner Kenny Bruce has sold his 50% stake in the Irish Premiership the co-founder of an online estate agency, took over the then-Championship club in September 2017. Since then, Larne were promoted to the Premiership and won the club's first two top-flight titles in 2023 and 2024 before a run to the Uefa Conference League league phase last season. In a statement on Wednesday, the Inver Park club said Redball Global FC's Nick Giannotti and Eric Perez, who are described as "two seasoned executives with deep experience in international football and sports business", have acquired Bruce's said Giannotti and Perez's involvement "signals a new era" for Larne. Redball are also involved with English Football League club Plymouth Argyle and League of Ireland side Athlone Town. "I have always said that when it came time to hand over my shareholding in the club it would be to people who could give Larne FC a competitive edge moving forward and I am firmly of the belief this is the case," said Bruce. "Since the moment our conversations began, both Nick and Eric have been an absolute pleasure to work with throughout the due diligence and legal process."Neither are strangers to football in this part of the world and I am confident they will bring immense value to Larne FC in the years ahead, with their drive and professional experience."In September 2023, an American business consortium bought a minority share in Larne, before the Veeck family - who previously owned Major League Baseball sides St. Louis Browns and Chicago White Sox - made a minority investment three months later."We want to thank Kenny for all of his dedication to Larne. The club is in a strong position because of him, and his investments in infrastructure," said Giannotti."It's very exciting to join a club with a great community, a great ground, great partners, and more. Together I expect glorious days ahead."
