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Plans for a new football stadium are progressing (From Worcester News)
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Plans for a new Worcester City football stadium are progressing
3:20pm Tuesday 7th August 2012 in News
By Steve Carley - Midlands Sports Journalist of the Year 2013, @stevecarleyWN
ARTIST’S IMPRESSION: The main stand of Worcester City Football Club’s proposed new stadium
PROGRESS is being made on plans for Worcester City Football Club’s new stadium.
The period during which a judicial review could be lodged over the site has now passed without any objections.
Developers St Modwen gained planning permission to construct a new ground in Nunnery Way in January, but the process has been delayed because a bridle path needs to be moved before work can start.
The company will now be free to submit a fresh application to move the pathway, safe in the knowledge there cannot be a judicial review into plans to build the actual ground.
The Blue Square Bet North outfit, who have to be out of their St George’s Lane home next June, have held regular meetings with St Modwen and say they have been encouraging.
Club officials are happy with the progress made over the last few months.
Chairman Anthony Hampson said: “We are moving forward shoulder to shoulder with St Modwen.” Signs are expected to be put in place declaring the site as City’s new home and St Modwen should be in a position to mark out the new stadium’s location.
The city council’s planning department now say the developers will need to hand in a specific application asking for the bridle path to be shifted before work can get underway.
Worcester director Mike Davis, who oversees the pitch at the Lane, said he plans to take soil samples from Nunnery Way in preparation for the new surface.
St Modwen have a contract with the club to build the ground until 2017.
But City will be homeless within 12 months, with county neighbours Kidderminster Harriers their likely temporary base. Talks have also been held with Bromsgrove Sporting over the possibility of sharing at the Victoria Ground.
The Lane was sold to property developer Careys New Homes for £3.19 million and will be demolished in 2013.
Comments(48)
Andrew Guy
says...
3:32pm Tue 7 Aug 12
If even just one objection is received to St Modwen's application, then the Planning Inspectorate could call a Public Inquiry. Looking forward to that!
"Shoulder to shoulder"... another barefaced Hampson! WCFC begged and pleaded to be released from the St Modwen contract...
Royal Loyal Blue
says...
3:44pm Tue 7 Aug 12
It really is sad that you have made both facebook and twitter pages trying to stop the diversion of the bridalway.
skychip
says...
5:12pm Tue 7 Aug 12
NickladWCFC
says...
6:00pm Tue 7 Aug 12
Still a long way to go though. It's just a field that ain't being used, divert the bridle way so you don't have to loose it. Where's the problem
Dogofwar
says...
9:40pm Tue 7 Aug 12
Jeremy Pitt
says...
10:02pm Tue 7 Aug 12
The club will have to move to NW contractually if it is built, probably with over £1 million of debt, and in a ground unfit for Blue Square Premier football. No community provisions, and no revenue streams outside of football and no chances of promotion to bring in revenue.
This is an application for a Retail Park, which just happens to need a football ground to satisfy planning conditions, and any football ground will do. Poor old Anthony Hampson and the board of the football club, they are contractually obliged to promote this retail park until 2017!
keeneye
says...
8:05am Wed 8 Aug 12
ushmush83
says...
9:15am Wed 8 Aug 12
keeneye wrote:A ground it deserves? Look at the plans, it's not even conference level.
A lot of tip toeing around here. Looks like Worcester Football team will get a ground it deserves - a lot of dithering has resulted in the situation it finds its self in. If they want inspiration just take a look at Worcester Rugby - I remember when that ground was barely a cow field. On the positive side - they are getting a new ground.
Jeremy Pitt
says...
9:26am Wed 8 Aug 12
keeneye
says...
10:36am Wed 8 Aug 12
A ground it deserves? Look at the plans, it's not even conference level.
Exactly my point ushmush83.
Did anyone doubt that SMD would not be the winners ?? what Clout has WFC got - they are up the creek without a paddle - who dosnt get it ??
This is the best deal they can get - or so those negotiating tell us
brooksider
says...
1:03pm Wed 8 Aug 12
keeneye wrote:Is that the rugby club whose accounts show liabilities exceeded their assets by £5,646,309?
A lot of tip toeing around here. Looks like Worcester Football team will get a ground it deserves - a lot of dithering has resulted in the situation it finds its self in. If they want inspiration just take a look at Worcester Rugby - I remember when that ground was barely a cow field. On the positive side - they are getting a new ground.
Where is the inspiration in that?
The rugby club has only got where is is today through having a multi millionaire owner, something not allowed under the Worcester City articles of association, and having millions of pounds of taxpayers money gifted to it.
Archie Claines
says...
4:24pm Wed 8 Aug 12
The net result is that a once proud local institution is left ruined and homeless. Shame on you Boddy and co.
NickladWCFC
says...
5:07pm Wed 8 Aug 12
Prob just have to wait for the contract to expire in 2017 and try and plan again. Can see the club going into the abyss
keeneye
says...
5:13pm Wed 8 Aug 12
And brooksider - if WRFC went to the wall at least they would have some assets to sell on - as for the multi millionaire we are talking about - at least he has put money into the club. Try going out the the grounds on a Sunday and see all the youth teams training - it looks mighty fine to me. As long as they can service there debt its not an issue. All said in the calmist way - not worth gettng edgey about
brooksider
says...
7:38pm Wed 8 Aug 12
keeneye wrote:I think you mean if one man can fund the debt.
Archie at last - someone has spoken up - stories have been rife for years - spoken about in hushed whispers -
And brooksider - if WRFC went to the wall at least they would have some assets to sell on - as for the multi millionaire we are talking about - at least he has put money into the club. Try going out the the grounds on a Sunday and see all the youth teams training - it looks mighty fine to me. As long as they can service there debt its not an issue. All said in the calmist way - not worth gettng edgey about
The Worriers have already had to 'cut their cloth' by reducing staff numbers and players, again hardly inspiring.
You don't seem to grasp the business model for rugby is different from football.
Worcester City were sold down river by a little cabal, something that has been shouted about for years, obviously you were not listening.
keeneye
says...
8:13pm Wed 8 Aug 12
Clearly I have made reference to the little cabal you mention, clearly you are not getting my message - I acually agree with you. So why hasnt the story broken into the public domain - apathy rules - WFC get what they deserve. I wish WFC well I hope they rise throuh the divisions, this is a chance for a new start. I hope the story of WFC breaks.
brooksider
says...
9:51pm Wed 8 Aug 12
keeneye wrote:The Worcester News will not publish the sordid tale, they will 'never bite the hand that feeds'.
I think everyone is cutting their cloth at the moment - wise business move.
Clearly I have made reference to the little cabal you mention, clearly you are not getting my message - I acually agree with you. So why hasnt the story broken into the public domain - apathy rules - WFC get what they deserve. I wish WFC well I hope they rise throuh the divisions, this is a chance for a new start. I hope the story of WFC breaks.
keeneye
says...
7:26am Thu 9 Aug 12
Im sure WFC are not the first. Take a look at what has happened in Scotland.
Archie Claines
says...
10:37am Thu 9 Aug 12
Well those were the sort of deals Boddy signed on behalf of WCFC. He blames the "credit crunch" rather than his own incompetence. Whether this whole business was simply ineptitude on the old board's part, or a wider plan to build Nunnery Way stadium to open up the land along the motorway for commercial development we will probably never know for sure.
The plan was to sell SGL, wipe out the club's debt and build a stadium that could generate income for a re-launched WCFC. Instead the debt is now colossal, the new ground won't have any revenue streams other than gate receipts and the club is staring oblivion in the face.
This is the legacy of Boddy; Lancaster; Brown and all the other clowns that ran the club.
brooksider
says...
11:06am Thu 9 Aug 12
Archie Claines wrote:Don't forget the Project Leader.
Would any of us sign deals that sold our house for £200,000 and bought some land to rebuild for £150,000, only to find that a few months later the buyer of our house decided (legally) to give us just £100,000 but the seller of the land stood firm (naturally) on £150,000?
Well those were the sort of deals Boddy signed on behalf of WCFC. He blames the "credit crunch" rather than his own incompetence. Whether this whole business was simply ineptitude on the old board's part, or a wider plan to build Nunnery Way stadium to open up the land along the motorway for commercial development we will probably never know for sure.
The plan was to sell SGL, wipe out the club's debt and build a stadium that could generate income for a re-launched WCFC. Instead the debt is now colossal, the new ground won't have any revenue streams other than gate receipts and the club is staring oblivion in the face.
This is the legacy of Boddy; Lancaster; Brown and all the other clowns that ran the club.
MrSeeEss
says...
12:17pm Thu 9 Aug 12
Doogie 46
says...
5:56pm Thu 9 Aug 12
Also, as I`ve mentioned many times before, to get planning approval for the whole deal the Council Planning Officer always said the stadium would have to be a "landmark" stadium, able to generate income streams other than gate money and the Football Club must have a credible business plan to ensure its long term future (ie.the council seemed to be looking after the club`s interests even if the board and the developers were not)This seems to have quietly gone away.
As Archie says, at best there has been monumental incompetence, at worst there has been corruption - all passing un-noticed by the WN - I wonder why.
Andrew Guy
says...
7:15pm Thu 9 Aug 12
-
http://bit.ly/Mzlcpw
brooksider
says...
9:47pm Thu 9 Aug 12
Andrew Guy wrote:By a strange coincidence Anthony Glossop, Nick Paul, the Chairman of Advantage West Midlands at the time, and John Crabtree, Advantage West Midlands Board Member are all Directors of Worcester Warriors.
This article is worth reading:
-
http://bit.ly/Mzlcpw
Small world isn't it.
steve carley
says...
11:56am Fri 10 Aug 12
brooksider
says...
1:00pm Fri 10 Aug 12
steve carley wrote:Hard evidence of what?
If anyone has hard evidence for the above, the WN will gladly look at it. I have heard about these documents plenty of times but nobody has ever produced them.
If your talking about the bribe allegations then look at the Inspectors report at www.bis.gov.uk/files
/file52782.pdf
It is clear the Inspectors saw the documents and invoices, something St Modwen don't deny the payment was made and ultimately paid out of the public purse.
St Modwen's defence seemed to be they were just doing what MG Rover asked of them, something they deny.
No matter who is correct or in the wrong, we taxpayers are out of pocket through their actions.
Andrew Guy
says...
4:04pm Fri 10 Aug 12
Please explain why you deleted that last post from Spetchley Dave.
mooster
says...
5:55pm Fri 10 Aug 12
steve carley wrote:Steve. Looking at who messed up in the past isn't what you should write about, we need to look forward. It's just the article gives the impression that NW is achievable and on course for completion- neither of which is true. There's no mention where the money is coming from to pay for a floodlight, never mind a stadium. What's left from SGL sale goes straight to SMD for the land and infrastructure. There is none left for any type of ground, it's all going to SMD. If SMD loan WCFC the money so that their development gets built we're back in debt from day one (£2M+) and no revenue apart from match day. It will be down to the fans to raise any money, this article suggests to most fans that this won't be necessary as all systems are go. The CGT will probably kill us anyway.
If anyone has hard evidence for the above, the WN will gladly look at it. I have heard about these documents plenty of times but nobody has ever produced them.
Archie Claines
says...
6:16pm Fri 10 Aug 12
However, what evidence did Woodward and Bernstein have when they started looking into Watergate? They didn't wait for people to hand them the facts - they smelt a rat and went and found the truth.
Surely that's the job of a reporter?
You might not smell a rat here - but the rest of us are nostril deep in stench. It's probably too late now, but it would be good for the truth to be told one day.
Jeremy Pitt
says...
8:05pm Sat 11 Aug 12
steve carley wrote:Steve, you've been given every piece of information possible which shows how the football club has been used "as a catalyst" in the words of Anthony Glossop, in order to railroad a retail park development at Nunnery Way. You've also been present at the AGM at County Hall where the Board put up the most appalling piece of Gerrymandering (well akin to Gerrymandering) in order to keep the plan alive. Where are Cliff Slade, Anthony Hayward-Wright (or whatever his name was), Simon Williams et al now? You saw what was going on, but chose to ignore. You were present at the County Ground when the letter from the Planning Officer was leaked, which showed a total lack of financial planning and forecasting, to the point that they were unable to support the scheme. You were at meetings at the football club where Anthony Hampson said "Nunnery Way is dead in the water" Yet you've never asked a single question about what was going on? I appreciate that you were "silenced" at one time by people who have now moved on, but maybe now you should start asking the questions of the information which was given to you about 4 years ago by another journalist who "showed you where the bodies were buried" to quote his phrase.
If anyone has hard evidence for the above, the WN will gladly look at it. I have heard about these documents plenty of times but nobody has ever produced them.
Anyway, maybe you could start by looking at the planning application, and studying the financial data in the planning application put forward by the football club / SMD - you'll find that there is none in there. The Planners asked for a robust financial plan to be included, yet it never was, at the planning meeting the man from SMD was asked if the club could operate in a sustainable fashion at the new ground, the answer was "Yes" So where are the financial plans and revenue forecasts which back this up? Do the rudimentary maths yourself. Sale of SGL £3.2million (down from the reported £7.3 million) Debt repayment to bank including equity stake at SGL £1.3 million, cost to purchase NW £600,000, and I understand infrastructure costs could be another £1 million plus - then theres the possibility of Capitals Gains Tax of £500,000 - there's no money! Why not start asking the question "How will Worcester City afford to build a ground at Nunnery Way" One thing I do know, SMD don't care, its not there concern. When WCFC tried to get the contract with SMD frustrated on the basis that they could not afford to build a ground the response was "not our problem!"
Ask yourself, Who would have agreed to the contracts with Careys and SMD, which were mutually exclusive, which had separate planning processes (despite what Mr Boddy told shareholders at a shareholder meeting) and had a five year (Careys) and 10 year (SMD) time period to complete. That in itself left a 5 year hole between potential sale of SGL and a new ground being built, even though Mr Boddy told shareholders that it would all happen together! well here we are , City are homeless after this season, and unsure of how to build a rudimentary ground at Nunnery Way. Meanwhile SMD get 15 acres of retail on the back of a 5 acre football ground (so much for the original 50/50 split) and Careys get a housing site at a knockdown price. Ask yourself who the winners are in all this, and then ask yourself if the WN could have done just a little more to make the people of Worcester aware of what has been going on. Some of us, me included, have been branded troublemakers, have been verbally abused by so called supporters of the club, have even had legal threats to silence us, yet we havent waivered from our position from 2007. Everything we said would happen has happened, and its not because we are so **** clever! its simply because its been so obvious! Maybe it would be worth asking former Chairman Mr Boddy why SGL was sold without the approval of shareholders? Yes its not illegal to do so, but it is highly questionable to sell 99% of your total assets without shareholder approval! Ask who advised him to make that decision! Maybe if shareholders had been provided with the full financial breakdown from the start either a) This situation would not have happened or b) We would have a rational explanation as to how and why it had to happen!
Jeremy Pitt
says...
8:44pm Sat 11 Aug 12
http://www.worcester
news.co.uk/sport/932
3138.City_face_fight
_to_beat_threat_of_b
ankruptcy/
Why not do an article outlining where the money is all going? Why don't WCFC see any of the money from the sale of SGL? This is all public domain information, so why not show the real plight of the club?
Archie Claines
says...
10:15pm Sat 11 Aug 12
Steve, why don't you simply ask Mr Hallmark how he feels now as self-styled leader of this "project"?
Is he satisfied with the outcome? No ground; no hope of building a new one; and nothing in the bank. He oversaw the process, surely his views would be of interest?
One of the tragedies of this saga is that when the doors finally close on SGL it will be the current board that get the blame. Most supporters still don't understand what's happened behind the scenes.
You are in a position to put the record straight. Please do so.
Andrew Guy
says...
11:14pm Sat 11 Aug 12
A quote or two from the "mastermind" behind all the "commercial wizardry" would certainly make interesting reading!
-
Also, may I humbly suggest questions for you to ask of the planning committee members that voted to approve the development of Nunnery Way:
-
Q1. What did the independent report from KPMG that Alan Coleman said "did not make good reading for the football club" actually say? (Maybe an FOI request to double check the answers you get...)
-
Q2. Why did they approve the application without having seen the KPMG report?
-
Q3. If they HAD NOT read all of the papers relating to the application does that not make them negligent?
-
Q4. If they HAD read all of the papers relating to this application and disregarded them are they not lacking in judgement?
Cecil9995
says...
12:31am Sun 12 Aug 12
Andrew Guy
says...
10:49am Sun 12 Aug 12
-
Q4. Why was there no public consultation on the late addition of a footbridge to the Nunnery Way plan?
-
Q5. Why did the committee approve this footbridge when no drawings even existed?
-
Q6. Who at County Hall agreed to allowing St Modwen to build a footbridge onto the Countryside Centre which is publicly owned land? (NB This decision was not taken by County Councillors.)
Jeremy Pitt
says...
12:58pm Sun 12 Aug 12
Cecil9995 wrote:The only people with a right to "complain" are shareholders. The previous Boards of WCFC kept shareholders in the dark over the finances of the club, by presenting only the minimal information to shareholders in the annual report, and also avoiding AGM's if at all possible. Actions of individual shareholders were suppressed , and if needed outvoted. If anyone tried to get onto the Board they found it a closed shop. I well remember a former Director of the club telling me that present Director Rich Widdowson would not be a good Director, and that he'd never be voted on to the board, and guess what? he was always defeated! I also remember presenting the case for the Supporters Trust, and the benefits of a community owned football club, and later being told that Directors left the presentation saying that "we'd never get onto the board!" We weren't even trying to be, but that was the way it was!
Have always wondered how the football club got themselves into such a state debt-wise while treading water at a level where they have often been one of the biggest clubs when it comes to support? The debt was built up over many years. Did anyone complain when the club was paying out transfer fees and getting into more debt while chasing what has seemingly been the impossible dream? Has anyone ever pinpointed a suitable alternative location for a new football stadium? And I do not consider the Cinderella Ground to be suitable.
The Shareholders Action Group, although labelled troublemakers, and ridiculed by all, and dismissed by the Worcester News even, were at least able to start stirring the waters and seeing what came to the surface. We exposed the supposed £7.3 million sale of SGL, which didnt exist! We exposed the contractual flaws with SMD, and we also exposed the financial flaws at the club including the shambolic financial disaster that was the Social Club.
What we also did, and most people are unaware of this, but we legitimised our actions by spending time and money in identifying alternatives to Nunnery Way, including staying at SGL, looking into the Cinderella Ground (which is a very viable alternative, having a sports covenant in place, and also being of a bigger area than either SGL or Nunnery Way), Tolladine Good Yard, Perdiswell and other sites. We also looked at the mechanism of maintaining a football club if WCFC Ltd. did go into liquidation. So yes, a lot of work did go on in order to identify alternatives, and to question how the club got into the state it got into. Now at least we have a football club which is far more transparent than ever before, and actually want people to put themselves forward to assist the club, and to go on the Board if they feel they can add value. If the Boards of Boddy, Sorensen, Lancaster etc. had been more transparent and shared information with shareholders, and even supporters, instead of treating the club like their own little personal fiefdom, then we would not be in the mess we are in now.
Its probably way too late now to change things, and the club can do no more than go with the flow until the flow stops. Its such a shame that nobody listened 5 years ago, nobody took enough notice of what we were saying, and that includes the Worcester News. Contrary to the reports headline, there is NO progress regarding WCFC's new ground. There is progress regarding SMD's retail park at Nunnery Way. WCFC do not stand "shoulder to shoulder" with St Modwens. They are where they always have been, very much at their heels! Ever since Messrs. Boddy and Lancaster, with the assistance of Hallmark took the decision to go it alone, without shareholder backing, and sign the punitive contracts with SMD and Careys.
Lew Smoralz
says...
8:51pm Sun 12 Aug 12
brooksider wrote:Obviously the football club are right and the rugby club have got it all wrong?
keeneye wrote:Is that the rugby club whose accounts show liabilities exceeded their assets by £5,646,309?
A lot of tip toeing around here. Looks like Worcester Football team will get a ground it deserves - a lot of dithering has resulted in the situation it finds its self in. If they want inspiration just take a look at Worcester Rugby - I remember when that ground was barely a cow field. On the positive side - they are getting a new ground.
Where is the inspiration in that?
The rugby club has only got where is is today through having a multi millionaire owner, something not allowed under the Worcester City articles of association, and having millions of pounds of taxpayers money gifted to it.
Thankfully, the rugby club are not the morons who are now a wandering herd of self-opinionated tw*ts!
Lew Smoralz
says...
9:18pm Sun 12 Aug 12
OK, so look where the shareholder ownership has left the club. Asset-stripped and now likely to fold very shortly!
I think that it time that the WCFC supporters stop trying to criticise the WRFC. Idiots should not criticise their superiors!
Lew Smoralz
says...
9:50pm Sun 12 Aug 12
Go to the toilet before you risk your life walking over the dual carriageway to get to the hut!
This is just a joke and won't even begin to happen now that the developers have what they wanted!
WCFC were just the catalysts to make the development happen, sadly
it happened without proper press or council scrutiny.
Many people think that this is suspicious. Why wasn't something so obvious exosed in the press?
Jeremy Pitt
says...
9:59pm Sun 12 Aug 12
Cecil9995
says...
10:31pm Sun 12 Aug 12
I really don't understand why the city council have suddenly welcomed the NW application when that previously has not been the case? I mean the landmark stadium will now be a few sheds and the club will not be able to support themselves up there, in fact they will just be back in the brown stuff again. Why would the council find this acceptable?
Cecil9995
says...
10:51pm Sun 12 Aug 12
I have known for some years that the football club cannot afford Nunnery Way, this has been published, I have read it, but some choose not to believe it. In reality, do enough people have interest in this kind of thing? Most just want to turn up and watch a match then carry on with their own busy lives. Unfortunately, some of the last regime talked a good game, which understandably took some people in, but it always sounded like pie in the sky to me. The football club has always underachieved in my living memory and it would be nice if that was to change one day. I unfortunately feel the club may have to go down to come back much stronger and it will be a long process.
Andrew Guy
says...
9:59am Mon 13 Aug 12
-
When's the next WCFC AGM? Maybe it's time for the shareholders to elect a Chairman and Board of Directors who will tear up the St Modwen contract. What has WCFC got to lose? No assets. No value. No revenue. Simply take it down and start again without the indentured servitude to St Modwen - why not?
keeneye
says...
10:10am Mon 13 Aug 12
Not sure if you are picking me up wrong.
I think WRFC has worked wonders to grow from what it was - my sons went to Rugby practice most weekends when they were younger. An excellent venue. I think what has happened to WCFC is questionable at the very least and is worthy of further investigation - it gone on for long enough everyone had known whats going on - no one has stood up and put an effective challenge into what has gone on - I stand by my earlier comments - they get what they deserve - I know there are an amazing hard core of fans who will be very disappoiinted. I hope it gets sorted soon.
Archie Claines
says...
10:26am Mon 13 Aug 12
However, I suspect they would all be liable - although why they have to shoulder responsibility when the likes of Boddy and Lancaster (who signed the contracts) can just walk away is a mystery.
Andrew Guy
says...
10:56am Mon 13 Aug 12
Royal Loyal Blue
says...
12:58pm Mon 13 Aug 12
Boddy was sat near me in the stand at two friendlies and all I heard him say was, why dont the club do this, and that etc etc He still doesnt get it !!
If the club start again they would have to start very much down the pyramid and we are talking smaller than Evesham United ??
If and its a massive ask for the club to last 4 years after leaving SGL, but if they can hold out until 2017 when the contracts are up then there might be a chance, I would guess that if it went on that long the money from the sale of the lane would come back to us ??
If the board walk away then what will that achieve ?? who would run the club ??
brooksider
says...
2:14pm Mon 13 Aug 12
Royal Loyal Blue wrote:From what I understand of the the contract Boddy signed with SMD, if WCFC fail to complete the contract they have to pay SMD £1.2 million!
WCFC will never build at Nunnery Way !! Theres no money to put up a tin shed let alone everything that needs to be in place for a BSN team !!
Boddy was sat near me in the stand at two friendlies and all I heard him say was, why dont the club do this, and that etc etc He still doesnt get it !!
If the club start again they would have to start very much down the pyramid and we are talking smaller than Evesham United ??
If and its a massive ask for the club to last 4 years after leaving SGL, but if they can hold out until 2017 when the contracts are up then there might be a chance, I would guess that if it went on that long the money from the sale of the lane would come back to us ??
If the board walk away then what will that achieve ?? who would run the club ??
They guy has no shame still turning up at SGL.
Maybe WRFC could complain to his employers, The Football Conference, about his unprofessional behaviour?
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