Cliftonville 'not a plaything' for new investors, says director Devine
Northern Irish club Cliftonville's members have voted to approve a takeover by Canada's Toronto Investment Group, with new director Conor Devine predicting a bright future including a possible return to Champions League nights.
Members of Northern Irish football club Cliftonville voted on Monday to approve a takeover by the Toronto Investment Group (TIG), with 81% backing the deal. TIG will hold a 90% stake in the 147-year-old club, with the remaining share staying with the membership, and the group has committed to investing £3 million over the first 36 months.
New club director Conor Devine, one of four TIG representatives on the board alongside Drew Green, John Muffolini and Ron Davidson, said the takeover should not be seen as a casual venture. He recalled Cliftonville hosting a full house against Celtic in 2013 European qualifying and said he hopes similar Champions League nights are not far away, pointing to Larne's recent European fixtures as a benchmark.
Devine, 48, who played for Cliftonville as well as Dungannon Swifts, Glenavon and Donegal Celtic, stressed his three-decade connection to the club and the north Belfast area, and said he believes the club could eventually move to a full-time professional model.
The takeover also allows Cliftonville to meet its match-funding obligations under the long-awaited Northern Ireland Football Fund, under which the club is one of just two to reach the scheme's most expensive tier, with a funding application exceeding £6 million for stadium improvements.
The deal took more than two years to complete and previously collapsed once, when members halted talks and TIG withdrew its offer in January. Members later authorised the club's management committee in June to resume formal negotiations, leading to Monday's vote.
Devine said the contract guarantees that the ground, club colours, badge and culture can never be sold. He added that TIG views the investment as a long-term passion project rather than a pursuit of financial returns, with the group planning to stay involved for at least 25 years.
