EXCLUSIVE: Canadian-based sport management company declare interest in owning an Irish League club plus prepared to wait to see if Coleraine interest materialises

Larne, Glentoran and Carrick Rangers have all benefited from outside investment in recent years, with Coleraine set to be the next club to be taken over.

Mr Cromack believes the corporation's experience in capital raising and operations management of football entities in North America can be shared across the Atlantic and into Irish League football.

The group has interest in two football clubs in Canada, namely TSS Rovers and FC London, but they now have a specific interest in acquiring a club in the Irish League, which they consider offers a compelling prospect due to its access to both UK and European football markets.

Cromack said: "I'm interested in football projects and in the last three or four years, I've been thinking about investing in clubs in both Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland due to Brexit.

"Having an Irish passport is very lucrative as it means easier access of players transferring to British or mainland European clubs.

"Players in Northern Ireland, we feel, are under-valued and we would ideally want that to change.

"It is also very difficult to find a country who has a competitive access to European competition as it's usually the same teams who qualify every year.

"However, we believe there are six or seven clubs in Northern Ireland who can do that which is also appealing."

With a commitment to bringing US/Canadian capital partners and commercial expertise to the local market, Cromack emphasised the corporation's pledge to transparency and community ownership, a model successfully implemented in their Canadian ventures.

"I have noticed during my time in football that the culture of clubs in Europe is based on the community, but you can also include gaelic, hurling and rugby into that," he added.

"We feel we can help with modern strategies in marketing, communications and community building to support the club reach for new heights.”

Yesterday, Coleraine chairman Colin McKendry stated whilst a takeover of the club was "very close", they were aware of a second interested party.

Due to an exclusivity agreement, McKendry was unable to give details about the interest but Cromack revealed it is they who are keen to make an 11th-hour bid to take the reins at The Showgrounds.

Patrick Mitchell and Ranald McGregor Smith, both former pupils at Coleraine Academical Institution, have vowed to invest a seven-figure sum across five years into The Showgrounds, which was passed by members of the Friends of the Coleraine, who own the club, in August last year.

It remains to be seen whether or not the interest from the Canadian group will be brought to the table by the Friends.

"Coleraine is an interesting one for us because we know it has a good value within the community, it has a strong history and a large fan base," he continued.

"Our aim there would be to install a management team there who would help those who currently run the club.

"We are aware that another deal is already in place but we are in no rush.

"We will remain open to exploring other investment opportunities within the Irish League in the forthcoming months should our interest in Coleraine prove untimely."