AMERICAN-BASED BUSINESSMAN Brian Ainscough completed his takeover of Dundalk FC on Thursday, saying that the opportunity was “too good to pass up”.

Ainscough assumes full control of the Lilywhites from local businessman Andy Connolly and STATSports co-founders Alan Clarke and Sean O’Connor, who bought the club from American consortium PEAK6 in 2021.

And the Dubliner immediately set European qualification as the club’s target for 2024.

Now based in Boston, Ainscough was the main backer of Kerry FC for their debut campaign in the League of Ireland First Division this year, but resigned as CEO and shareholder in order to complete the Dundalk takeover.

“I knew that Dundalk were looking for investment and over the last month I looked at the club a bit more in-depth and ownership was something that I felt I would be very interested in,” he told Dundalk’s club website on Thursday.

“I’m a competitor and I want to be involved with the very best. Dundalk, with all of its history and tradition, is, and has been, one of the top football clubs in the country and when this opportunity came up, it was too good to pass up.”

He added: “The objective for 2024 is to get the club back into Europe. That’s our goal.

“We were only two points off finishing fourth last season which shows how close we are and Stephen O’Donnell can fully get to work now and talk to players and assure them that the club is in a good place and ready to kick on.”