Cliftonville struggle during 'really poor season'

Cliftonville fans will be relieved to see the end of a season that has had plenty turbulent moments.

The Reds finished fifth in the Irish Premiership and faced penalty shootout disappointment in the County Antrim Shield final, the BetMcLean Cup quarter-final and the Irish Cup semi-final.

Off the pitch, there was much excitement when club members voted to accept a takeover proposal from the Toronto Investment Group in April last year.

However, in January, the potential investors withdrew their proposal before chairman Kieran Harding stood down, as well as directors David Begley and Adrian Keenan.

"It's a really poor end to what has probably been a really poor season. It was a lot of what-ifs," manager Jim Magilton reflected after being beaten by the Swifts in the European play-off semi-final.

"It's going to make it harder because [no] European money means budgets will be sliced and you have to cut your cloth accordingly."