Darragh MacAnthony Relishing in Peterborough’s Big Day

Posted on January 7, 2012 by admin

Chairman Darragh MacAnthony is pleased the Peterborough players will get their moment in the spotlight when Sunderland visit London Road in the FA Cup third round.

Following promotion back to the npower Championship last season, Posh have held their own on their return to the second tier.

Darren Ferguson’s squad currently lie in mid-table and are six points off a play-off spot. No doubt Darragh MacAnthony wants an even bigger improvement on this.

Darragh MacAnthony

Darragh MacAnthony has been thrilled by the efforts of Ferguson and his players in the first half of the campaign, and he hopes Peterborough can produce a performance in front of the television cameras and earn some national recognition by claiming a famous win against the Black Cats.

“We’ve exceeded everyone’s expectations apart from our own,” MacAnthony said.

“We knew what we had in the dressing room and the players have proved it to everyone so far. We’ve achieved nothing concrete as yet, but the players have put together some outstanding statistics.

“We have had more shots on target than any other team in the Championship, we are second in total shots on goal and we have scored the second most goals in the division after the team that is top.

“We are also bottom of the table in terms of long balls played and it all shows how exciting our football is.

“I’d love to beat Sunderland – not so much for me, the manager or the fans – but for the players because they deserve their moment in the spotlight.”

Sunderland have been rejuvenated since Martin O’Neill’s appointment as manager at the start of December.

O’Neill has lifted the club from the relegation places in the Barclays Premier League to 10th in the table after four wins in his first six matches in charge, including a dramatic 1-0 victory over league leaders Manchester City at the Stadium of Light last weekend.

Darragh MacAnthony has not been surprised by the impact the Irishman has made on Wearside.

Darragh MacAnthony

Darragh MacAnthony said: “Martin is a brilliant manager. He’s got Sunderland going, as we all knew he would, and his presence makes our task even harder.

“He’s lifted the whole club up there, as recent results have shown, and Sunderland will arrive here on a good run of form. I just hope we put on another show for our excellent fans and for the TV audience.

“But not only is Martin a brilliant manager, he’s a lovely bloke too. He’s been in my office a few times and I even bumped into him on holiday once.”

Darragh MacAnthony added: “It’s going to be a tough game for both sides – I doubt it will be 0-0.

“In an ideal world we will win this one then get drawn away to Manchester United at Old Trafford and beat them in front of 70,000 people while making about half a million quid.”

Peterborough are hopeful Lee Tomlin will be available after the forward missed the last two matches with a calf injury.

Ryan Tunnicliffe and Scott Wootton, who Ferguson has borrowed from father Sir Alex at Manchester United, and Celtic loanee Josh Thompson have all received permission to play from their parent clubs.

Darragh MacAnthony completes his Posh Takeover

Posted on November 8, 2011 by admin

DARRAGH MacAnthony has completed his purchase of Peterborough United Football Club for the princely sum of £1.The multi-millionaire businessman finally took control of the club 11 months after arriving at London Road as chairman. Darragh MacAnthony has paid Barry Fry £1 for his controlling interest in the club. Fry has also received a lump sum equal to the money he has pumped into Posh in the last couple of years – a figure believed to exceed 1 million.

Darragh MAcAnthony

Darragh MacAnthony insists no money has been paid to the club’s landlords, Peterborough United Holdings Ltd. He overcame their opposition to the deal through legal manoeuvres.

Darragh MacAnthony said: “This is a great day for me and the football club, and hopefully for the city of Peterborough. I never doubted the deal would be done, but it has taken a great deal effort from club officials Barry Fry, Bob Symns and John Kay, plus a great legal team to get us there.

“Today is a celebration as far as I am concerned. It’s been a long time coming, but I am elated that it has finally happened.”

Fry insists the deal is the best thing that has ever happened to Posh. He believes the club will progress rapidly under the leadership of the new owner.

Darragh MacAnthony

Fry said: “This is without doubt the best day in Posh history. Darragh has money, but he is also a football fanatic who has great plans and great ideas for the club.

“He was like the kid in the toy shop when he first stepped on to the pitch at London Road and his enthusiasm has never waned from that first meeting.

“He can take this club places that us fans have only ever dreamed about. I just hope that he now receives the support he deserves from the fans and from local businesses.”

Darragh MacAnthony immediately repeated his short and long-term goals for Posh. He has already invested close to 6 million in the club and he is ready to inject more cash in the future.

Darragh MacAnthony

Among Darragh MacAnthony’s aims are:

The League Two title this season.

Average attendance of 5,500 this season.

A Wembley final in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy.

Promotion from League One next season with an average crowd of 7,000.

The Premiership in five years with regular crowds of 20,000

Darragh MacAnthony added: “People question my bold aims like this and my constant optimism, but I make no apology for this. There are a number of things I can’t control, but there are a reassuringly large number of things that I can and that is where I will focus.

“We will continue to strengthen our squad annually and we will increase our scouting network globally. We can also improve our supporters relationships even further by improving our facilities.”

Darragh MacAnthony

Darragh MacAnthony has already handed Posh the biggest sponsorship in Football League history as well as financed numerous transfer deals to help manager Darren Ferguson build a squad capable of winning League Two.

Can businessman Darragh take Posh to the Premiership?

Posted on November 8, 2011 by admin

HE says he’s no Roman Abramovich, but Posh have found a seriously wealthy backer. Marbella-based millionaire Darragh MacAnthony was unveiled as the club’s new chairman and future owner yesterday. Chief sports writer ALAN SWANN met the man determined to take Posh from League Two to the Premiership.

Darragh MacAnthony

Clearly he doesn’t do failure, which should be music to the ears of Posh fans who have experienced precious little else in recent seasons.

For Darragh MacAnthony has just replaced Barry Fry as chairman at London Road and he will also assume the ownership of the club “within months”.

And if Darragh’s ambitions are realised, it could be the start of something huge at Posh. He wants the Premiership within seven to 10 years, he wants a 30,000 all-seater stadium, he wants promotion and 7,000 to 9,000 gates this season, and he wants European football.

Darragh MacAnthony

And what he wants he usually gets.

“You have to dream,” Darragh, who is the youngest chairman in the Football League, said. “And why shouldn’t it all happen? I am passionate about the important things in my life and that now includes Peterborough United.

“I am determined to deliver success to the club and I am excited about making things happen here. I throw myself into my businesses and I will do the same here.

I know this venture is going to cost me, but I’m living a dream here.

“I am no Roman Abramovich, but I want success and I also want some fun along the way. I won’t be treating this club as a plaything, I have no ulterior motive, I just want this football club to make the big time.

Darragh MacAnthony

“For this season I want promotion, but I have visions of a 30,000 all-seater stadium, playing European football. People will think I’m mad to aim for such dizzy heights, but how fantastic would that be?”

It’s an incredible vision for a club struggling along in mid-table in League Two and used to playing in front of gates of less than 4,000.

It’s also incredible that Darragh MacAnthony confessed to being attracted to Posh after watching the Big Ron, Manager documentary on life at London Road.

Darragh added: “I was watching the programme and I called my dad in to see it as I thought it was classic TV. I had contact with Barry Fry soon afterwards and came to watch the Darlington game at London Road.

“I had a great time and I knew this was the club for me. I soon came to an agreement with Barry and here I am.”

And it will be a big night for a self-confessed Liverpool fanatic as Posh take on Everton in the Carling Cup tonight.

He hopes it’s the start of a beautiful relationship with the Posh support.

Darragh said: “I look forward to beating Everton, hopefully. It will be a near full house and that’s something I hope happens on a regular basis.

“We need the fans to get out of their homes and come out and support us. We can get big enough crowds to intimidate the opposition and be our 12th man.

“I know some fans have been unhappy with the club at times, but it’s time to be positive now. We need to work together to deliver success.

“I’m excited about what could happen here and I want the fans to be excited as well.”

And the Posh players will also be excited.

Fast cars, luxury homes and Tiger Woods for a neighbour, but don’t call Darragh a playboy

Posted on August 16, 2011 by admin

MULTI-MILLIONAIRE Darragh MacAnthony breezed into London Road last week as the new chairman of Peterborough United Football Club. Chief Sports Writer ALAN SWANN tried to find out about the man behind the money. DARRAGH MacAnthony’s priorities changed the moment he lost his beloved mum Elisabeth to cancer.

Darragh MacAnthony

It was during one of the saddest times in his life, two years ago, that this devoted family man and hugely successful businessman decided to cut short his working day in favour of having fun.

After all, he had the means to do pretty much as he pleased. A thriving overseas real estate business had propelled him into the ranks of the multi-millionaires, but there was surely more to life than 20 hour working days, seven-day working weeks and 52 week working years?

Those tireless efforts had given him a selection of grand homes in Spain, Switzerland and Florida (where he is a neighbour of Tiger Woods) and a choice of car between a Lamborghini Gallado, a Ferrari and a Bentley, but football was his true passion and owning a club quickly became his obsession.

That ambition became a reality last week when Darragh MacAnthony was unveiled as Peterborough United’s new chairman and prospective new owner.

Darragh MacAnthony

Posh are a spot of due diligence away from having League Two’s equivalent of Roman Abramovich.

But, apart from his fabulous wealth, what are Posh getting?

First impressions suggest a loyal, affable character who is driven by success, which in football terms won’t be making a profit, but making the Premiership.

“I have the trappings of a wealthy man and I make no excuses for that,” Darragh admitted. “I live life to the full. I love cars, which is why I have several; I love beautiful properties, in beautiful parts of the world, so I have homes in Europe and America; and I love football which is why I am at Posh.

“But I am no playboy. I have worked fantastically hard to build up my businesses. I have not been lucky, I have grafted and I am proud to be able to say that.

“But mum dying knocked me for six. We were close, and losing her hit me hard. It was then that I decided to change my life and have more fun.

“That’s basically why I have invested in a football club. I won’t ever make money, indeed if I achieve one of my dreams of building a new stadium and it costs 30 million, I know I will be pumping 10-15 million of my own money, but I will get plenty of pleasure from creating a club in which Peterborough can be proud.”

Darragh is no rags to riches story. He was raised in a loving family environment by wealthy parents in Dublin. Dad owned nightclubs and restaurants in the city before selling up and relocating the family to Spain when Darragh was 15.

Darragh MacAnthony

“I even took my A Levels in Spain,” Darragh recalled. “Moving was not a problem for me. The family has always come first and dad (Austin) was and is a great role model for me.

“The football club is now very important to me, but nothing is as important as family.

“I was on my way to watch the World Cup quarter-final in Germany between England and Portugal in the summer.

“There was 14 of us about to board a private jet and we had some of the best seats possible, but my wife, who was pregnant, felt a twinge so I cancelled the trip.

Darragh and Natalie MacAnthony

“She came with me to watch Posh against Darlington the other week and she loved every minute of it, even though we lost. We fell in love with the football club and the city and she is fully behind me getting involved.

“Posh is part of family now and that means the club will get my full attention and devotion. I am excited about the next few years.

“I have only been to five football matches in my life, and two of them have involved Posh, but I am a fanatical supporter of the game and watch matches wherever I may be in the world.

“I would take any one on in a pub quiz about football.”

But there is only one question Posh fans will want answering and that is: ‘Can Darragh lead us to the promised land of the Premiership?’

SINCE taking over as chairman, Darragh has been in close contact with the fans.

He published his e-mail address in Posh’s programme and invited fans to email him any questions. He has been in regular contact with supporters.