Glentoran confirm ‘major investment’ from Ali Pour consortium for ‘new era’ at the Oval

The Oval club’s official statement outlined implementing a restructure of the company following lengthy talks to enable head coach Mick McDermott to strengthen ahead of the forthcoming Irish League season.

Glentoran chairman Stephen Henderson commented: “We are pleased to finally complete this investment deal and welcome the many opportunities it will afford Glentoran to firmly re-establish itself as a competitive club at the top end of the table and challenging for trophies.

“The Glentoran Board worked tirelessly in recent years to significantly reduce the debt millstone around the club’s neck.

“This investment means that we can move forward on a sound financial footing into a new, positive era.

“We can now turn our attention to building the club not only by this investment, but by hard work, dedication and commitment from Mick, Paul Millar and the full team of coaching staff and players.

“There’s a tough season ahead as we continue to compete with several top-quality local teams with big squads, but it’s the start of an exciting new chapter for Glentoran and we very much look forward to what the future holds for the club and our fans.”

McDermott highlighted the importance of investment to the club’s future.

Mick McDermott commented: “Completion of this investment deal is a significant milestone and marks a new era for the club.

“We can now be serious about bringing the best available players to Glentoran, succeeding both domestically and in Europe, and re-establishing the club as one of the giants in football in Northern Ireland.

“Anyone who knows anything about football knows that the basis for success at any club is financial stability – and that’s where we are now at Glentoran for the first time in a long time.

“We’re serious about attracting top players to the club and we’re now in a position to cast the net wide - including beyond Northern Ireland – to add to the strength and quality of the squad in the coming months.

“In addition, we plan to invest significantly in some of the facilities at the Oval to ensure our players benefit from the most professional environment possible.

“We’re realistic about the road that lies ahead – it will take time to climb back to the top – but we have the ambition, the vision and now the financial backing to do exactly that.”