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Reporter: RICHARD HOOTON
Date online: 22 July 2009
Latics desperate to depart Boundary Park as Failsworth move goes before planning chiefs
OLDHAM Athletic must move to a new £20 million stadium in Failsworth to save the club from collapse, insist its owners.
Unveiling plans for the 30-acre site off Broadway — which goes before Oldham Council’s Cabinet for approval tonight — Latics chiefs said the club is haemorrhaging money in a crumbling stadium and must move to become financially viable.
The club and council’s regeneration proposals mean building family houses at Boundary Park.
Proceeds will be used to create a 12,000-seater stadium with community facilities at the site of Lancaster Sports Club, Lower Memorial Park and Broadway Allotments.
It will include another two football pitches, a soccer dome featuring 10 five-a-side pitches, a sports rehabilitation centre, indoor pitch and conferencing facilities.
It’s hoped the stadium will be ready for the 2011-12 season — though no buyer has yet been found for Boundary Park.
The Chronicle exclusively revealed on Thursday how Failsworth Dynamos FC and Broadway Allotment holders were furious at the lack of consultation.
But the club and council insisted on keeping plans under wraps until today, saying they could not be revealed until talks had been held with all parties.
Angry Dynamos chairman Leo Turner said his club had a written commitment to lease and develop the land and help keep thousands of children out of trouble by getting them involved in football.
But Latics hope to quell their fears by reaching an agreement for them to use the new development — while 15 allotment holders will be offered compensation and 20 new plots, possibly on land across the road.
The credit crunch has made it impossible to fund building flats, killing off the club’s previous plans to build 693 homes around Boundary Park to finance an £80 million stadium development there.
Instead, the ground will be sold to a private developer to build small family houses, while talks are on-going with the Royal Oldham Hospital for “key worker” homes to be built on the Sheepfoot Lane car park.
Latics managing director and co-owner Simon Corney said: “In its current state, Oldham Athletic is dying.
“Revenue fell 20 per cent again last year and we’re now attracting attendances on a par with many League Two clubs.
“This new vision gives us an opportunity to provide a facility that will create new revenue streams to make the club financially viable and self-sustaining, while also giving supporters a superior matchday experience. I want to reassure residents they will not be living next door to some monstrous and imposing facility.
“People don’t like change but we have to move. The stadium is an embarrassment at the moment. It’s about survival and going forward.”
Groundsharing with another club like Rochdale has been ruled out, but Oldham Rugby or amateur clubs could share the facilities — though no discussions have been held.
A deal has been agreed with BAE Systems to buy the Lancaster Club — but it’s a Grade II listed building so cannot be bulldozed and will be used for the indoor pitch.
The amount of seating in the new ground will suffice for their ambitions to become a Championship club and could be extended if Premier League dreams are realised.
Latics chief executive Alan Hardy said: “We’ve spent a long time with the council to find suitable sites within the borough and this is the only one we could find.”
Mr Hardy dismissed concerns that fans would be unwilling to go to Failsworth, saying it’s part of Oldham.
Council leader Howard Sykes said: “A forward-looking Oldham needs a successful professional football club with 21st century facilities and that is the vision this scheme is designed to deliver.
“This could be the catalyst to regenerate two areas that badly need it — the Lancaster club area of Failsworth and the Boundary Park site — creating new jobs and investment opportunities.
“There will be understandable disappointment in some quarters about the club moving away from Boundary Park but sometimes you have to dare to dream.”
What the fans think
“ALL we have heard over the last decade are stories of where we might move to, who we might share with, how the existing stadium can be developed. We have had beautiful drawings and plans and all that has happened is one part of the ground has been demolished. I hope I can be forgiven for being less than enthusiastic in taking this latest proposed plan seriously.”
Wendy Krastins
“AM I wrong? Isn’t it the people of Oldham that by turning up week after week in all sorts of weather win or lose help to pay for the club and the over-paid players? Now the club is saying stuff you lot and your clubs, forget the new site for the children and the allotment owners that also turn out every week, some every day — at least the allotment owners have things to show for their hard work at the end of every season.”
Moejoe
“OTHER clubs — and towns — have reaped the benefit of having a new, multi-purpose stadium. What Latics really need to do is make sure they involve Failsworth Dynamos and the allotment holders to turn the Lancaster Club site into an area the whole community can be proud of.
ROYTON LATIC
“WAS it not several months ago the club were fighting with Oldham Council to secure the revamp of Boundary Park?”
CRAIG DEAN
Comments
Congratulations to Mr Hardy and Co and the council for some positive progress under testing circumstances for any business and if we have a stadium along the lines of Colchester I will be delighted. The chant 'We're not part of Manchester' will be somewhat muted with an M60 postcode.
This move has to go ahead for the club to survive, disappointed to leave BP, but this looks like the future. Still feel that more effort and ideas are needed to attract more fans, e.g standing section if possible, and really need to get members of the asian community watching the club, in 10 years I have probably only ever seen about 10 asians turn up to watch a game....
get it built, as soon as they can - and reap the rewards. I cant remember one club whos fans did not agree with a new stadium, but as soon as its built they begin to love it. Obviously on a bigger scale, but fans of Arsenal, City & Bolton were all upset at one time on leaving their spiritual homes but theyre not complaining now.Compensate the right people and get the plans moving.Its exactly what the town and club needs.
THE LOCATION OF THE NEW GROUND IS ON THE BOUNDARY OF MANCHESTER THE ADDRESS WILL HAVE A MANCHESTER POST CODE WHAT NEXT CHANGE THE NAME TO MANCHESTER NORTH EAST
Never understood why the Ford Stand was demolished when at the time the whole redevelopment was in question. I applaud the directors seeking a new stadium but I must question the location. Broadway and Oldham Rd. are an absolute nightmare!
Great news for Latics and the Borough. Let's hope that this plan comes to fruition, unlike the Westwood Running Track, Sports Park 2000, Ferney Field Farm and the Boundary Park Redevelopment plans! Forward to Failsworth!
Im disappointed with the prospect of leaving BP, but the club has to move forward simple as that. I think the site, in an area where the majority of people are in all honest 'plastic mancs' may be a problem but if that is the only place available so be it. What this town needs is for people to take ownership of it and be proud of it, at least this is one vision in the right direction, but i wont get too excited until the construction has started - we have heard it all before.
No fans consulation! What were we marching the other year? 12k stadium not 16k? No ambition! Where are the next generation of fans going to go if their home town team is in Failsworth? 4 miles down the road is the answer. Oldham Council is a joke, and as the biggest supporter of the TTAs I am totally disgusted. Failsworth Athletic? If you want to move to Manchester why don't we have the 6000 seater athletics track next to the City of Manchester Stadium? SELL OUT!!!
Well, another rumour bites the dust. Not without a little smoke though. Still time!! This is now a solid commitment from the board and they should be congratulated. This would not be a bad location regarding buses, trains or trams. Oldham Road is very busy at the best of times for cars and would need some thought. With genuine aspirations of Championship football I feel a 12,000 capacity is a little conservative, maybe 15,000.
The fiddling about, swapping seats for season ticket holders in the Rochdale Road end, our best stand, several times a season is a perfect example. This creates very few undercover, unobstructed view options for the casual punter and I am sure they just can’t be bothered and vote with their feet. I do accept that the new ground will eliminate the weather and view factor, but we are in a hole, this has the look of a very sturdy ladder. Let’s make sure it’s long enough, before assembly.
What about the other clubs that use the lancaster Club, there are 3 senior teams, the main club being avro fc who also have 9 junior sides, 3 criket teams, bowling club, training facilities & 5 a side courts for public use, keep fit courses and table tennis all from the lancaster club, has the local council givin thought into how and were they are going to be relocated??
i would like to no when 3 years ago the BAE systems and oldham council met with memebers from the lancaster club and told them the club is a major part of the community and would never be developed, what has changed an investor has come to oldham who might actually have some money, the club has a site full of history at boundrey park witl planning to develop the site , why move to save money they arnet interested in the local community.
famousfuller can you not read properly? Pitches will be provided for the football teams.
The cricket teams can move elsewhere. They are of such a poor standard its no loss.
'Three Amigos' + Oldham Council = Bound to fail expensively.
Absolutely disgusted with these proposals. Bully boy tactics from oldham council and oldham athletic. Watch out dynamos - this lot are not to be trusted.!!!
I hereby declare that my support for OAFC (after 38 years) is at an end. R.I.P. Come on Oldham Town F.C. (Who were planning this first). Hi-jacked........ Disgusted!!!
RG2403 is right, as usual. Get it built. Can't stand in the way of progress
Stop your moaning I am 62yrs old and have been going to BP since my grandad took me there when I was a little lad of 6yrs and as much as I love BP it really is the best thing for the club we have to move on
All those enthusiastic about this plan are probably the ones who were enthusiastic about the previous plan(s). THEY DO NOT HAPPEN! Anyone remember the council's plans to rehouse Oldham RLFC? When was that, 20 years ago? No, they lose their stadium, Westwood loses its athletics track, Latics lose the Ford stand, Oldham loses its cinema, etc etc, and none of it IS EVER SEEN AGAIN!
We have a team on Broadway already. It's called Chadderton FC. Get yourselves down there, people, it won't cost you £20 just to get shouted at by stewards either!
Once again we hear of another town council trying to steamroller plans through without the courtesy of the slightest consultation with other stakeholders in the proposed area,how arrogant can these people get,I was under the impression that we the people employed council officials and they are supposed to act on our behalf,and in OUR best interests,I certainly do not wish these people act on my behalf in this way.!!!!!
accrington blue ,sorry to dissapoint you but Faisworth Athletic already exist and play in the Oldham sunday league and have done so for the last 20 years or so and a rather more succesful than the bilge you choose to watch at Boundary park ,You are more than welcome to come to Mable rd any sunday during the season to watch us play a entertaining brand of football.
lets make sure this stadium is built before they stert knocking the old one down
As a big latics from stockport and as an outsider - it would appear that during the past few years there has to be one big question..... do the people of oldham want a successful football club or for that matter a football club at all??? lets stop moaning and support the club before we are wondering what to do on a sat afternoon when the club doesnt exist.
brilliant step in the right direction! you cant please everyone and some people are afriad of change. new ground,top facilities,new training pitches for dynamos, new allotments,what more can you ask for! locations is great too. well done latics!
Given all the short sightedness and failings of previous owners and directors and council chiefs its a great relief to have at long last a scheme in place which despite its shortcomings - most obviously the location, more Manchester than Oldham despite the actual borough boundary - can trigger a long overdue regeneration of the club. Some of the criticism is so blinkered it's beyond belief.
Apparantly failsworth folk were not that happy about the proposals and I wonder how speculative this deal is as no planning permission has been applied for yet! In any case it looks like there could be local objections to the scheme. As for Latics acquiring a manchester postcode..I feel it matters very little.
To gefwud, to quote the words of Toddy - "Stop your moaning". If everyone thought like you did there would be no Club left - get with the times, this could be a fantansic opportunity, not just for the Club but the local area also - job generation being just one of them! I would like to salute the 3 Amigo's for their hard work and support, long may it last!
arthur d i can read, my spelling is a bit dodgy but my maths are great add this up the current facility at the lancaster club accomadates approx 5 games on a saturday both junior & senior level and 6 games on a sunday, in the report above it states there will be two additional pitches and they have also said they are talking to another team to use the new pitches so where are they all going to play arthur D ??
does it matter what standard of sport is played at the lancaster club i think we are missing the point Oldham Athletic has its home, the reason they want to leave is they can save money by building the new ground in a different location the new owners are just trying to do the job on the cheap , they have had planning approved to redevelop the existing site just get on with it and leave things as they are, this is a bad idea all round, to many people will be affected
Whilst we would all to prefer to stay at BP, sometimes we have to accept change, especially if it guarantees survival for the club. If we must move, give us a ground that shows some aspiration towards Championship football. Build the structure to accomodate 16,000 at least, and do like MK Dons and leave out some seats in the upper tiers or corners which can be added later should the club progress.
now is the time for the club to move forward, as much as I love BP and have for the last 44 years of watching from every different part of the ground, it is now well past its sell by date and although not everyone will agree with the move it could be the best thing in the long term.Similar things were said about Bolton and Man City when they moved from their spiritual homes, lets get behind those who look to the future and not live in the past, Latics survival is the most important thing
The question i'd like answered is how much are the TTA's planning to sell BP for, and exactly what are their longterm plans for the club
Council Sykes “A forward-looking Oldham" also needs a cinema, bowling alley and other leisure facilities, but are we going to get them... are we hell !!!
it has been said in the papers that manchester is trying to take control of out lying areas such as failsworh & middleton. if this does happen at some point were does that leave the club . it will then be out of the control of oldham council & the owners will have a free hand to change the name of the club .if the owners cannot finance a new ground within the boundary of oldham or re develop boundary park they should leave the club.
who are they trying to kid! the land value of boundry park is high while the land in failsworth will be cheap. its all about money! with sykes involved its probabaly been passed months ago!
technically will latics have to change its name though! failsworth isn't in oldham! its manchester!
Do people not understand this project is not to be solely funded by the council, there is other areas availiable for the investment. Forward to the future, and good buy to the misserable s*d's that frequent in this town. Shame on you all.
Have Your Say
If this falls through, the club will eventually fold.
Maybe that would make the nimbys and pessimistic Oldhamers happy!
Moejoe - "Now the club is saying stuff you lot and your clubs.."
That statement is utter garbage!
New allotments and football/community facilities.
What is there to complain about?
By spike @ 22/07/2009 12:51:28