Henry Ross insists Coleraine 'must be prepared to evolve' after announcing key appointment
Coleraine owner Henry Ross insists the Irish League club “must be prepared to evolve” in their pursuit of success after confirming the appointment of Dale Pryde-MacDonald as CEO.
Pryde-MacDonald arrived at The Showgrounds as General Manager in July following a spell with Scottish club Greenock Morton and also previously held positions at Ross County and Morecambe.
He has now been promoted into the CEO role with Ross saying Pryde-MacDonald “will oversee the day-to-day running of the entire club”.
Ross has previously stated his desire to transform Coleraine into the Irish League’s top team and has made several significant moves both on and off the pitch, including appointing Ruaidhri Higgins as manager earlier this year.
He attracted the likes of Joel Cooper, Stephen Fallon and Kodi Lyons-Foster to the Co Londonderry club, and Coleraine currently sit third in the Premiership table, only losing their first match to unbeaten leaders Glentoran on Friday evening.
“We are delighted to appoint Dale Pryde-MacDonald as CEO of Coleraine FC,” said Ross. “From the outset I knew he was capable, but he has gone on to exceed all expectations.
“Thrown in at the deep end and faced with tough tasks from the start, he has taken everything in his stride, always putting the long-term good of Coleraine FC first.
“As CEO, Dale will oversee the day-to-day running of the entire Club, with all departments reporting through him.
"My role as Executive Chairman remains focused on oversight, growth, and driving our long-term strategy, while continuing to work closely with Dale and the senior leadership team.
“If we want our Club to achieve things we’ve never achieved before, we must be prepared to evolve.
"Dale is central to that progress, and I ask everyone to back him fully. He has my complete trust as we continue laying the foundations for long-term success.”
Pryde-MacDonald said: “It’s an honour and privilege to assume the role of CEO at the club.
"I am extremely grateful to our Chairman for the opportunity and the faith he has in my ability to deliver in the role.
“I want to be here to help the club improve and add on to the foundations we have laid, but more importantly bring everybody with us on the exciting journey ahead.
“Since I’ve been here the staff have been fantastic. We have been able to take some very important steps in a short space of time and that comes down to everybody working together for the betterment of the club.
“We still have a lot of work to do but we are moving closer, day by day. I would like to take the opportunity to thank the staff across all departments for their support, encouragement and engagement so far.”
Pryde-MacDonald will work closely with boss Higgins as the pair look to steer Coleraine towards success and the former Derry City chief admits he’s enjoyed forming their professional relationship.
“Dale and I are still in the early stages of our working relationship, but I’m really enjoying it,” he said. “It’s clear he has some fantastic ideas for the club and I’ve found him excellent to work with.
“Since he’s come in, the support he has given me and the football department has been first-class, allowing us to focus fully on our job. I’ve no doubt he will take the club in the right direction.”