Bray Wanderers have announced plans to revolutionise the structure of the club by becoming an entirely community owned club. The Airtricity League club have tonight announced plans to transform the club into a community-owned organisation with the stated aim of ensuring the club’s long-term future and one which, the club hope, could “provide a blueprint for sustainable football in Ireland into the future."

The majority of the club's shareholders have agreed a plan to transfer ownership of the club to the local community by forming a new company to help fund and run the team which will be run by local volunteers.

The new initiative will be driven by several prominent businessmen and initial plans to spread the club’s reach in its catchment area in Wicklow and South Dublin are already underway, with the club actively forming links with local schools and football clubs.

President Philip Hannigan said of the new palns: “The old way of running the football club wasn’t working. A new business model was needed – and we believe this is it. We are confident that by getting the local community involved in owning and running Bray Wanderers, we can secure a sustainable future.

“Bray Wanderers Community Football Club will be run for the benefit of the whole community. All funds it raises will be ploughed back into developing the team, the grounds and establishing community-based projects for the benefit of the wider local community.

“The majority of shareholders have agreed that once Bray Wanderers Ltd is unburdened by debt, they will pass ownership of the club over to the new company.”

Bray Wanderers Supporters Club chairman Terry O’Neill said: “This is a revolutionary new way of running an Airtricity Premier League club and as a supporter I fully endorse the efforts that are going into this new initiative. It will be a massive boost for the whole community and could prove to be the template for clubs like ours to thrive in the future.”