Former Cliftonville coach 'quite sad' at current club situation as takeover bid withdrawn

Earlier this week, Toronto Investment Group (TIG) confirmed they were withdrawing their proposed takeover bid – which was approved by club members in April – with “heavy hearts” and claimed Cliftonville’s board “was not working in good faith”.

There have also been calls for chairman Kieran Harding and other board members to resign with the Jonny Addis Cliftonville Supporters Club slamming an Extraordinary General Meeting earlier this month as “shambolic”.

Having spent the majority of his playing career at Cliftonville before joining the senior coaching staff, Small retains a special place in his heart for the Reds and is disappointed with how recent events have played out.

"I believe that if you don't know the full facts then you shouldn't pick sides, but my feeling is if there's division within a club then some sort of change is normally inevitable,” he said. “For example, if fans are dissatisfied with a manager, he's probably going to go at some stage, or if they aren't having a player for whatever reason, normally it only goes one way and that's change.

"I feel quite sad because you're talking about a club that prides itself on being very aligned with supporters.

"It wasn't that long ago the club won back-to-back league titles and the whole club was united under Tommy Breslin. Everybody was singing off the same hymn sheet, there was success and a real good feeling around the club.

"That seems to have gone and it's pretty sad to see that the club seems to be airing its dirty laundry in public and everybody else at other clubs are probably having a good laugh, that annoys me a bit."

With Toronto Investment Group’s interest in taking over at Cliftonville spanning back 18 months, it has been a long-running ordeal with constant speculation surrounding the club’s long-term future.

Despite consistent questions about the topic, manager Jim Magilton and his players have stayed focused on the task at hand, delivering League Cup glory alongside reaching a second consecutive Irish Cup final.

This season, the Reds sit sixth in the Premiership and have lost a number of key players during the January transfer window with Odhran Casey and Jack Keaney departing.

Small has no doubt uncertainty surrounding the club’s takeover status could impact performances and feels it hasn’t been helpful for the players.

"At the early stage, Jim and Gerard (Lyttle, assistant manager) did a really good job in making sure the players didn't get involved and didn't let it impact performances because they can't control it, but as time goes on, everybody wants to talk about it,” he added. “There's an atmosphere on a Saturday and of course if affects things.

"The players are still getting support from the fans, as they always do, but their minds are elsewhere when it comes to a Saturday and that can only filter around the stadium. It's not helpful."