Meet the latest investor in Irish League football who is contributing a 'substantial six-figure sum' to help take club to the next level

Dempsey, who is the owner of Genovate Power Solutions, has previously got a taste for the Irish League having been involved with Larne, firstly sponsoring a lounge at Inver Park before becoming a premium partner last summer.

Living in Portstewart, Dempsey has officially became the club’s Executive Chairman as the County Londonderry side enter a new chapter and will look to plot their way up the pyramid.

Having witnessed first-hand the transformation at his hometown club under the ownership of Kenny Bruce, Dempsey admits Portstewart’s vision will be on a much smaller scale, but is excited for the challenge ahead.

"It's fantastic,” he told the News Letter. “It has happened quite quickly and now we have to get down to work.

"I'm looking forward to the challenge. There was talk of maybe coming onto the Larne board with more investment there as well.

"I was coming along to matches and speaking to the guys here...the club was running on thin air so I felt it was an opportunity to take a bigger role with Portstewart. My money was probably better invested here and would go a long way.

"I've seen what Kenny and the guys have done at Larne...I used to live near the club and have seen the transformation to the town.

"I'm not saying we're going to do what Larne have done, but we could make a good local team and push into the Championship. We want to make it a hub for the community, develop the facilities and push on.

"Portstewart is on my doorstep and it made sense to put my money into the club and help them push on. With the population the town has, they should have a good competitive Championship team.”

Portstewart haven’t been in the second-tier since 2008, coming close to promotion under Johnny Law in 2020 before the season was cut short due to Covid, but with Dempsey’s arrival they’ll now look to hit new heights.

The likes of Larne, Glentoran, Coleraine and Carrick Rangers have all benefitted from investment in recent years and while money has been dedicated to big-name signings in the top-flight, Dempsey’s approach will focus more on building solid foundations first.

"Initially it'll be for the facilities,” he said on his six-figure investment. “It'll be the simple things like fixing the pitch...doing the pitch this summer will be £25,000 or so.

"The clubhouse, a training pitch with all the teams able to train at the home ground - that's where we want to get. You could soon spend £150,000/200,000 on these things and it's not long in going.

"We're certainly not going to be spending big money on players. We'll be keeping our amateur status and I don't think we'll ever get to a point where we are a professional football club, which goes without saying.

"If we can improve the club and push it on then I think that will attract the players that we want which are maybe in the Championship and that's where we see ourselves.

"The Championship is a good league, competitive and that's where we'll be suited to. Ultimately we want to stay up this season.

"With the players we have I think we can push mid-table and then push for promotion. We want to become a competitive Championship club, enjoy some cup runs.

"It would be difficult to break into the Premiership with the amount of money that's coming into the top league.

"You see the money the likes of Coleraine, Larne, Linfield and Glentoran have...it would be great to fast forward six or seven years and Portstewart are in the Premiership, but I'm not going to kid anyone or myself.”

In a press release on Tuesday evening, Portstewart said: “On the 20th January 2025, the shareholders of Portstewart Football and Community Club Ltd unanimously agreed to a new share issue, which will make Alan Dempsey the majority shareholder of the club.

“This investment, alongside significant additional funding over the coming years, will provide financial stability and drive immediate improvements to both the club and its facilities.

“Under the management of Mo Mahon, the club is now on a secure financial footing, with the investment amounting to a substantial six-figure sum.

“Alan would like to take this opportunity to express his gratitude to the current board, shareholders, and volunteers for their dedication and hard work over the years.

"He is hopeful that, with his investment and the support of new shareholders and sponsors, the club can make significant strides forward.

“Alan encourages the local community to rally behind Mo and the team as they approach the remaining games of this season. Alan is in the process of appointing a new executive team and club board.”