Southport FC has unveiled David Cunningham and Kieran Malone as the club’s new owners, as they pledged to fans to “work diligently to make you proud of our club once again”.
Previous owners The Big Help Group are no longer involved with the club.
The new openers have shared their thoughts on the recent takeover, and their hopes for the future.
David Cunningham said: “We want to inform you of recent developments regarding the ownership of Southport Football Club. As many of you know, The Big Help Group, along with Peter Mitchell and the rest of their board, are no longer involved with the club. Liam Watson and Steven Porter remain as Directors.
“The ownership of the club has now been transferred to myself (David Cunningham) and Kieran Malone. We are preparing a more detailed statement and look forward to meeting with you all soon to discuss our plans.
“In the meantime, we want to clarify the current situation. The formal completion of the takeover has been delayed due to an ongoing investigation into The Big Help Group’s activities by The Charities Commission. This investigation has implications for the ownership transfer.
“We have been in regular contact with the National League, who are satisfied that we have adhered to all necessary procedures. They are prepared to formally recognise us as the new owners. However, it is crucial that The Charities Commission understands and is content that this takeover represents a fresh start for Southport Football Club, allowing us to rebuild with a clean slate.
“We were delighted to announce the appointment of Neil Danns and Mark Duffy as our new management team on Monday. Recognizing the urgency, we prioritised these appointments to enable them to begin working on player contracts and recruitment immediately.
“Kieran and I are both enthusiastic about the challenges ahead. We understand that owning a football club is not an easy task, and we know we will need the full support of everyone involved with the club and the wider community of Southport. We are eager to meet you all in the near future.
“While we won’t make any unrealistic promises, our commitment is to work diligently to make you proud of our club once again.
“We also want to acknowledge the incredible group of volunteers at Haig Avenue. Your dedication is the lifeblood of this club, and we have already witnessed firsthand the fantastic work you do on match days, at events, and throughout the week. I would like to thank you all for your invaluable contributions.
“The past few weeks have been challenging, and the delays have been frustrating as we were eager to move forward more quickly. We are aware of the articles circulating regarding the takeover and hope this update provides clarity on the reasons for the recent lack of communication from our side.”
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