Cliftonville preview 26-27: Reds aim to put 'really poor season' behind them
- Published
After an underwhelming campaign last season, Cliftonville fans will be hoping for vast improvements this year.
The Reds lost the County Antrim Shield final on penalties before being defeated in the European play-off semi-final by Dungannon Swifts.
Manager Jim Magilton acknowledged that the 2025-56 campaign was "a really poor season and was a lot of what-ifs" while also saying the side would have to "cut our cloth accordingly" after they failed to guarantee European money.
However, they have still had a busy transfer market with a total of eight new signings.
Last season, the news of a possible takeover from the Toronto Investment Group fell through before the Cliftonville members voted to reopen TIG talks earlier in the summer.
Fans of the north Belfast side will be hoping that the lengthy wait for an investor is nearly over and this season is one to remember.
Last season: 5th
Manager: Jim Magilton
New signings: Dan O'Connor, Kyle McClelland, Ben Quinn, Aaron Wightman, Joel Thompson, Dean McMaster, Alex Bannon, Ollie Samuels
First five fixtures: Crusaders (H), Bangor (A), Linfield (A), Dungannon Swifts (H), Portadown (H)