Hard work off the pitch made Coleraine 'investable, says boss Oran Kearney as Bannsiders chief welcomes new owners

Bannsiders Holdings - led by Ranald McGregor-Smith and Patrick Mitchell - completed the takeover of the club late last week after several months of negotiations.

Members of the Friends of Coleraine, who owned the club since 2006, agreed to sell the share back in August.

With formalities now completed, the hope is that the club will implement a full-time model ahead of the 2024/25 campaign, with the new owners stating that they want Kearney to spearhead the north coast side into a new era.

Speaking after the investment was confirmed, Kearney stated that recent ground improvements such as the installation of a synthetic surface and other off-the-field developments put Coleraine firmly in the shop window for investors.

"I don't know to be honest because I very much stayed on the outside of it and I've tried to stay on the outside of it all season because of the magnitude of what you're trying to deal with," he said about his future and the investment.

"I think that's been inflamed more by the type of season we've had: it's made it even harder to involve yourself with that type of stuff.

"For me it's exciting, it's great for the club and I think it is important that the work that we've done over the past eight or nine years where and I'll say it, I've been the sorest on our budget in relation that it hasn't shifted in years.

"What we've tried to do is build infrastructure, infrastructure, infrastructure with the pie in the sky hope that down the line something that happened at a Larne or wherever that you might get an opportunity or someone might come and see us as investable.

"For me, where we were 10 years ago, when we didn't have infrastructure, a pitch or a thriving club shop, a thriving social club, a VIP bar, VIP lounges and all the work that's gone into it.

"There's so much infrastructure here where it is appealing for investors."

Kearney credited the current Board of Directors for the recent infrastructure developments on the Ballycastle Road, which he believes made the club "investable" and that the budget for playing staff was sometimes sacrificed for long-term plans.

He added: "Kenny (Bruce) had to go into Larne and had to put a huge amount into the pitch, new changing room, lights, everything.

"I suppose we are, you would like to think, investable because for us, there's a huge amount right here.

"There's not a huge amount that would need to be tweaked to allow the club to move on to that next level and I think that's big credit to the board and everybody because I think we've had that pie in the sky idea over the past few years.

"But there's no point increasing the budget without a pitch to play on, without infrastructure.

"Now that we have that infrastructure - I think that's the biggest thing that's been appealing to these guys - in relation to looking forward."