Ali Pour looking to build 'a sustainable model for future success' at Glentoran after strengthening 'long-term commitment'
Glentoran owner Ali Pour believes increasing his shareholding to 95% “provides a platform to accelerate targeted investment” across all areas of the club as he looks to build a “sustainable model for future success”.
Pour took over at the East Belfast club in July 2019 and will now have even greater control across matters at The Oval after shareholders of GFC1882 Limited voted in favour of the proposed share transfer at Thursday’s Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM).
GFC1882 Ltd will retain a 5% stake in the club, which gives supporters a voice in the future of Glentoran.
Businessman Pour revealed in 2024 that he’d invested around £3million into The Oval outfit since acquiring the club, but there has been limited success on the pitch outside of an Irish Cup triumph in 2020 and last season’s Co Antrim Shield.
Glentoran’s wait for Premiership glory will extend into at least a 17th year and they’ve also suffered a major blow in not qualifying for Europe, missing out through the play-offs last week for the second consecutive season.
Pour will hope an increased ownership from his East (No.1) Limited – which previously stood at 85% – can help Glentoran take crucial strides towards delivering future success.
“This development strengthens my long-term commitment to Glentoran Football Club and provides a platform to accelerate targeted investment across all areas of the club,” said Pour. “By increasing my shareholding, I can focus on key priorities - from infrastructure and facilities to squad development - while enhancing revenue generation, improving operational efficiency and building a sustainable model for future success.
“Crucially, I remain committed to ensuring supporters retain a meaningful stake and voice in the club’s future.”
Pour is listed as a director of East (No.1) Limited alongside Mark Glenfield and Paul Millar while former manager Mick McDermott resigned from his director role on April 30 according to Companies House.
After January’s Co Antrim Shield triumph, Pour threw his full support behind boss Declan Devine, who signed a new two-and-a-half-year contract in December having taken over from Warren Feeney.
Devine overseen a squad overhaul ahead of last season with a host of senior players departing while the likes of Dan Gyollai, Kodi Lyons-Foster, Frankie Hvid and Danny Amos – all of whom had positive debut campaigns at Glentoran – arrived.
They sat second in the Premiership for long stretches of the season before being pipped by Larne, who sealed the final automatic European spot behind champions Linfield, in the closing stages.
Pour previously praised the work done by Devine and predicted he “can see us doing a lot of good things together”.
"This is a huge catalyst and it's for the fans that have supported us,” said Pour after the Co Antrim Shield final win over Larne at Seaview. “It's a very important result.
"He (Devine) has transformed this club. To come in and restructure the whole thing is such a hard thing to do - he has done a phenomenal job.
"I'm very happy with him and he is here for a long time. I can see us doing a lot of good things together."