Port duo confident of positive impact

NEW Southport owners David Cunningham and Kieran Malone have reiterated their belief they can make a positive impact at the club.

- BY RICHARD PARTINGTON

The duo addressed supporters at a fans' forum on Friday, alongside new management duo Neil Danns and assistant Mark Duffy.

Asked why they had been tempted to invest their time and finances into Southport FC, Cunningham said: "I believe we are capable of actually doing something with this. It's probably the Everest of businesses and I feel like we can actually create something really, really good. Does that mean it's vanity? Maybe a touch. Arrogance? Probably, a little bit. But we've developed a plan for this club and I believe we can actually take it where it needs to be, where it deserves to be, in the coming years."

Those sentiments were echoed by Malone, who spoke positively of the matchday experience at Haig Avenue and the potential therein.

"We came to a game and really liked it," he said. "We believe it's got loads of potential. I'm a Liverpool season ticket holder, Dave's an Everton season ticket holder. I've given mine up for this, so it's got to work now!

"I was getting fed up with basically going to a game and sitting next to people that I didn't really know and it was good coming here and sitting next to our mates, we brought loads of people to the game. I think it's the way football's turning around to go again."

Malone said the duo had hoped to come in with additional investors, but convincing successful businessmen to plough finances into an entity losing money was a tough call.