Property developers and the death of non league football clubs

paulisi · Tennis legend

RE: Property developers and the death of non league football clubs

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Got a bit distracted earlier in the week but Hamlet final got planning permission for their new stadium approved by Southwark Council in a hearing on the 27th.

Obviously extremely pleasing but as a club with no benefactor we will be significantly hit fiscally until fans can safely come and watch the game. Definitely no room for social distancing.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

paulisi wrote:
You cannot dig up and re-lay a pitch in 6 weeks

You are right, 10 weeks is the schedule and town will need to play their home games at another ground initially.

paulisi · Tennis legend

JonH comes home wrote:
paulisi wrote:
You cannot dig up and re-lay a pitch in 6 weeks
You are right, 10 weeks is the schedule and town will need to play their home games at another ground initially.

York's new stadium would be the most likely option.

Even 10 weeks is tight(subject to weather conditions etc)

-- Edited by paulisi on Friday 31st of July 2020 09:26:39 PM

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

paulisi wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
paulisi wrote:
You cannot dig up and re-lay a pitch in 6 weeks
You are right, 10 weeks is the schedule and town will need to play their home games at another ground initially.
York's new stadium would be the most likely option.
Even 10 weeks is tight(subject to weather conditions etc)

-- Edited by paulisi on Friday 31st of July 2020 09:26:39 PM

https://www.harrogateadvertiser.co.uk/sport/football/harrogate-town-playing-home-games-away-cng-stadium-event-promotion-small-price-pay-2930280

Agreed. Presumably Elland Road isnt available.

-- Edited by JonH comes home on Friday 31st of July 2020 09:29:11 PM

paulisi · Tennis legend

Changes to lockdown rules and local lockdown now putting non league start date at risk. The sporting trial of crowds has been delayed at least 2 weeks and all non league clubs have stated they will only start with crowds. In the meantime, most have taken all their players off furlough from 1st Aug, which means costs and going up and no confirmation of revenues from gate receipts

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Hamlet have lost a couple of players who have signed elsewhere & not made any signings. That includes Nyren Clunis who at 28 has only ever played for Hamlet, came through the academy, 2 promotions and 100 goals. I think we have one contracted player through to June 2021. Its looking like tough times for full time players in the lower leagues and non league & clubs without benefactors.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

Today is the day!

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53578917

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45903024

paulisi · Tennis legend

Come on County.... Altrincham and Weymouth promoted

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

paulisi wrote:
Come on County.... Altrincham and Weymouth promoted

Really ? smile

paulisi · Tennis legend

Well done Harrogate. Bought their way to promotion.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

Congratulations Harrogate Town!! Time to rip up the Astro. To be honest I would have liked to see County back in the EFL. It will be interesting to see where both clubs are in the year 2178. Amazing that County have played football for 158 years very grateful to a couple of Danes for looking after a precious piece of English football history.

The irony is admirable & forward thinking Lincoln City have tapped into Nottingham Trent University setting up an attractive elite football development programme & educational programme recruiting together, developing players as players & academically. Universities are forbidden to progress beyond step 5 in the English football pyramid which smacks of (is) protectionism but a much more sustainable model for a club than the whim of a benefactor. Trent have already had success with a similar Hockey programme with Beeston & a solid students playing national league hockey. Birmingham University Ladies are a premier league side in their own right.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

paulisi wrote:
Well done Harrogate. Bought their way to promotion.

You're a nice chap.

Edit , I take that back, I've no idea if you're nice at all. But your comment I find very sour. Disappointing.

-- Edited by JonH comes home on Sunday 2nd of August 2020 05:42:53 PM

-- Edited by JonH comes home on Sunday 2nd of August 2020 05:43:26 PM

paulisi · Tennis legend

Jon - you have misinterpretated my comments.
I have no issues with the way Harrogate perform on the field and they got promoted on merit.

Similarly to Oakie, I wanted Notts County to return to the EFL. They are a big club with a big fan base and bar a terrible start would have going up automatically.
Harrogate is not really a football town (the football fans follow Leeds). It has limited fan base and will always rely on a benefactor to keep them in heir current position.
My main concern is that Harrogate are living beyond their means and could end up in a position similar to Macclesfield or Rushden where benefactors decided to leave and the club suffered.
If they did what Barrow did and got promoted without the directors putting any additional money, I would be highly supportive.

There are plenty of other non league clubs who also fit this bill. Boreham Wood and Barnet spring to mind in the conference. Stockport might be the next. Braintree last year and Gray's in the past have all succumbed to big money being removed.