Gerard Lawlor: I welcome investment at Irish League clubs - but there is a stage where we need to look at fit and proper owners’ tests

​Larne and Glentoran have benefited from significant investment in recent years which has allowed them to successfully adopt a full-time model while Coleraine and Carrick Rangers announced new ownership this season.

Lawlor, who was speaking after launching NIFL’s fresh five-year strategy titled ‘A bold and brighter future for professional football’, wants to help take every aspect of Northern Irish football to the next level, on and off the pitch.

Further investment into clubs could accelerate those ambitions for a full-time league but Lawlor also wants to help safeguard against any potential pitfalls.

The likes of Bury, Wigan Athletic and Derby County have all been forced to enter administration over the past three years and a fit and proper owners’ test could help protect local clubs as the league continues to become a more attractive investment opportunity.

"We want as a body to be more professional in everything we do,” said Lawlor. “Bringing investment in will make the league more professional.

"Investments can't always be about footballers or solely to pay players wages.

"I would like to see some of the investment come in around staffing structures, which I believe Larne have done very well, some into stadia and we welcome all investment.

"There is a stage where we need to look at fit and proper owners’ tests.

"That is something we need help with from the Irish FA and we have spoken to them about it. That's to protect our clubs.

"We have to trust the clubs are making the right decisions, but if we can put a line in to protect them and the league that if a club does have an investor - we've seen plenty of investments go badly in other leagues in the past.

"We would see in the future putting some detail into a rule where we would have an involvement.

"There are lots of positives and plenty of growth opportunity, but we've to be weary of any change."

Another key aspect to helping Lawlor achieve his goal is securing money to upgrade Irish League stadiums and facilities.

Many have been waiting years for government funding to arrive and part of NIFL’s new strategy includes lobbying for money to maximise improvements.

"We can't deliver this strategy without the improvement,” he added. “So many of our grounds have a reduced capacity, sections of their ground closed, some are borderline not fit for purpose any longer.

"For us to grow, get a new audience and entice families, it's paramount.

"The days of having football grounds for 90 minutes on a Saturday are long gone.

"These clubs need to be hubs of their community and we look at the models in our own league.

"I keep coming back to Larne, the work Crusaders are doing, Shamrock Rovers and the institution they are - these are clubs I think we can model around.

"The facilities would allow the clubs to deliver these programmes and become focal points of their local community."