Former Glenavon star shares view on investment proposal ahead of crunch meeting at Irish League club
Former Glenavon star Shane McCabe believes the Lurgan Blues are “very, very attractive for investors” – but insists any potential takeover deal can’t be allowed to rumble on and lead to uncertainty.
Glenavon shareholders are set to meet at Mourneview Park on Wednesday evening to discuss an investment proposal which “could significantly impact the future growth and success of our club”.
The Co Armagh club have already confirmed their board of directors “support this investment proposal” with a final decision to be taken after finer details are disclosed to shareholders.
If given the green light, Glenavon could become the latest Premiership club to accept investment, following in the footsteps of Coleraine, Larne, Glentoran and Carrick Rangers.
Cliftonville confirmed earlier this week that their proposed takeover by the Toronto Investment Group, which passed a member vote in April, won’t be going ahead with the Canadian consortium withdrawing from the process.
McCabe believes it’s important something similar doesn’t happen at Glenavon with the potential for unrest to impact performances.
"It does take time, it has to go through the right process, be right and be audited correctly,” he said. “You hire people in to review the investment proposal and make a call based on that.
"You don't want it to rumble on because it can impact things - supporters can be uncertain, then with uncertainty you get a bit of unrest and that can filter onto the pitch.
"Players coming to the end of their contracts could question if investment is coming. That could start to play on minds - as much as players say it doesn't, it does, so you need to be decisive, have a timeframe in your mind and make a decision.”
McCabe played for the Lurgan Blues during a golden period of success under former manager Gary Hamilton, who masterminded two Irish Cup triumphs alongside four third-placed league finishes.
He retains a special place in his heart for Glenavon and can see why outside investors are interested in making their move – but says it’s crucial the club’s future is protected.
"It's a very, very attractive club for investors,” he added. “It's a fantastic stadium, one of the best in the Irish League, no doubt about it.
"Logistically, it's manageable from Belfast and they can get players from the Republic of Ireland and from Dublin with the train connections.
"The fanbase is fantastic, see when you get going and a good team out, the fans will support you through thick and thin. You look at Gary's reign, we would have travelled with 5,000, 6,000 fans to cup finals.
"It has the fanbase to be a good commercial proposition and there's capabilities of getting that return on investment if they get everything right.
"They (investors) need to be the right people. Investors can come with big figures, but are they morally the right fit? Do they have the club's best interests at heart, do they see the growth and impact it has on the community?
"Glenavon is in a big town and it's a massive hub in that area. They have great infrastructure and youth, but you need investment. Will they come in and let the football people run the club? That's massive.
"Are they coming in for the right reasons? Investors want to invest money, but they do want to get something out of it, we're all aware of that. Will they give it the right time, is there a business plan which has been audited, reflected upon and makes sense?
"We've seen clubs in the Irish League and League of Ireland go to the wall that have been successful, we don't want to see that happen if the investment is wrong."