One of the founders of Purplebricks is on course to create what the BBC calls “one of the biggest game-changers in Northern Ireland football in decades.”
After receiving a substantial cash and facilities injection from Kenny Bruce - who with his brother Michael founded the controversial hybrid agency - Larne Football Club is now four points clear at the top of a Northern Irish league, has a number of experienced former Irish Premiership players in the team, and has crowds regularly numbering around 1,000.
Only last year it was enjoying crowds of just 50 - but that was before Bruce put in a reported £2m to fund, amongst other things, a substantial refurbishment of the club ground.
"I would like Larne to have the Champions League music played at Inver Park one day … We will do whatever it takes financially to make sure this club has the best facilities possible, gets promoted and is challenging for honours in the Premier League” he tells the BBC.
"I'm a lifelong fan and I think a football club in a town like Larne has a real opportunity to inspire and bring the generations along. I learnt an awful lot growing up in this town, it has great people and they have been fantastic since we came into the club."
Tiernan Lynch - the long-standing coach at the club, and who had not been replaced during the Bruce revolution - is quoted in the same story as saying: "It was really tough times before Kenny came in but he changed it overnight … He's a top man and it's not just his money, he's very much interested the players.
“I speak to him almost every day and he's always asking about training and how we are getting on. Every day is a pinch yourself moment, really. We have 18 full-time professionals and we are out on the training pitch every day working hard."
Larne plays in purple with the company’s sponsorship prominently displayed on the shirts.
You can see a two minute BBC news report including a brief interview with Bruce, along with the online story in full, here.
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Must have been a quiet news day at EAT Towers.
....whilst shareholders watch their investment continue to slide.... closed at 202p yesterday, down again. Investors don’t like conspicuous spending.... football club.... racehorse... it’ll be a Caribbean island next.... eye off the ball?
At least all their victims, sorry customers, now know where the money they paid NOT to sell their home has ended up.
The money to sell their homes goes on marketing their homes unlike the high street where the thousands of pounds go on an office that no one other than the staff use.
Oh Dear Proud estate agent, so Purplebricks dont have masses of staff and large premises and pay their directors hefty bonuses ,,, but of course not,,,, I guess Proud estate agent is a not so local not so expert PB drone !!!!
Oh dear, the same old mis-information. I live where I work and have been an Agent for 22 years but don’t let facts get in the way of a good story!
So your are a PB drone ,,,
Ignore the fact that I am local and an expert. Typical closed mind.
I wonder how many properties you take on and get paid for that you dont sell ? you Boss's wont tell anyone, maybe you will
Just like PB I’m transparent. I take on between 15-20 properties per month and sell between 10-15 properties per month. Perhaps you or your boss would like to disclose where the thousands of pounds your customers pay you are actually spent? Is it on actually selling their home or lining pockets?
Oh and by the way - independent research from TwentyCi has confirmed that Purplebricks sells more homes, more quickly, and for more money than the top 10 UK estate agency brands. How’s your out of date over priced agency doing?
Aye right
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