Altrincham Football Club has today announced a new round of equity investment as we continue to pursue our goal of promotion to the EFL.

The investment of £1.45m comes from a combination of existing and new investors with the vast majority arriving from local businesspeople. The lead investors in this round are Simon and Michelle Orange, the majority owners of Sale Sharks Rugby Club.

Michelle Orange commented: “As local and passionate sports fans we are hugely excited to be getting involved with Alty alongside the rest of the investors and share the Board’s passion for great community sport and look forward to achieving meaningful success on and off the pitch." 

On conclusion of the fundraising, Lawrence Looney has decided to step down from the Altrincham Football Club board. Lawrence has served on the board for seven years, the last five as Co-Chairman. 

In the immediate future Bill Waterson will take on the role of Chairman as the club undertakes a strategic review with its Board and the major investors. Existing shareholder Mark Luby, another of the investors in this round, will be rejoining the board in an executive capacity.

The club has changed beyond recognition during Lawrence’s tenure and the Board would like to extend its sincere thanks to him for his outstanding contribution. When he first joined the board, the club was operating on a semi-professional basis in the Northern Premier League, after suffering consecutive relegations.

Alty are now a full-time club and have posted back-to-back top half finishes in the National League. The move to full time, perhaps the most significant strategic initiative in the club’s history, owes a great deal to Lawrence’s vision, as he outlined at his very first board meeting at the club.  

Lawrence said: “This is a bittersweet moment for me as I say goodbye to the club that I  have absolutely loved being Co-Chair. I am confident that the club is in a great position to finally achieve Football League status. I always wanted to leave the club in a much better place than when I joined and I feel this is the perfect time with the new investment and investors on board for me to move on."

Bill Waterson added: “On behalf of all at the club and from me personally I would like to
thank Lawrence for all he has done for Altrincham FC. From day one he has been an incredible driving force for this club, and it has been a real pleasure working with him. What has been achieved is incredible by any measure and, although there is still plenty of work to be done, the club is well set up to continue to pursue promotion to the Football League.”

For more quotes from Lawrence click here.