Cliftonville takeover given green light with Toronto Investment Group looking to help club realise 'full potential'
Cliftonville are the latest Irish League club set to receive significant investment after their members voted to accept a takeover bid from the Toronto Investment Group.
In an Extraordinary General Meeting held on Wednesday evening, the proposed takeover was given the green light which would allow the Reds to go full-time alongside making improvements to their Solitude base.
The Toronto Investment Group is made up of Ron Davidson, John Muffolini, Drew Green and Conor Devine, a former Irish League player who spent time on the books of Dungannon Swifts, Donegal Celtic, Glenavon and Cliftonville.
Legal representatives from both sides will now work on completing the final steps of the deal and the prospective new owners say they are determined to help Cliftonville realise their “full potential”.
"The Toronto Investment Group (TIG) are incredibly delighted to receive the news this evening that the membership’s majority have voted in favour for a change in the ownership structure of this historic institution that is Cliftonville Football Club,” the Toronto Investment Group said in a statement. “We look forward to working with the Club and its stakeholders over the coming weeks to conclude this transaction.
“Cliftonville Football Club is a very special Club and by this vote, we recognise the significance of the trust the members have placed in our group.
"We appreciate and embrace the historical and present value it represents to the members, the players, the community, Belfast, Ireland and beyond, as we work to further develop and realise the Club’s full potential.
“We look forward to being in Belfast again soon and are enthusiastically eager to get started, not only to continue the tradition, but ensure we build upon the Club’s impact on the community and athletes it serves in the years and decades ahead.”
The takeover means the Irish League will now have five full-time teams with Cliftonville following Linfield, Larne, Glentoran and Coleraine into a professional era.
Carrick Rangers also received investment in 2023 with American businessman Michael Smith acquiring a majority shareholding in the Taylors Avenue outfit.
It’s a significant move for Cliftonville, who have already celebrated silverware success this season after winning the BetMcLean Cup and are looking to defend their Irish Cup crown next month.