CONFIRMED: City v Raiders will take place in Bromsgrove

THE first Worcester derby will take place in Bromsgrove with City chairman Steve Goode keen to quell the furore over the hotly anticipated clash.

Homeless Worcester City will host Worcester Raiders in the maiden competitive meeting between the clubs in this season’s Smedley Crooke Memorial Cup.

City conceded home advantage for county and league cup ties in a bid to reduce costs last season, fuelling the debate between followers of the clubs as to where this clash should take place.

Any change from City's regular groundshare base, Bromsgrove Sporting's Victoria Ground, would have to be sanctioned by both clubs and competition officials, but the prospect has been scotched before getting that far.

Raiders manager Karl Gormley expressed his view that it would be a “nice idea” to play it in Worcester “if they’re so bothered about bringing City home” but then stated “it is not going to happen” in a social media post on Wednesday.

Gormley added that it would be “an ideal chance to bring City home for the night and show the council why they need their own stadium”.

Goode quickly declared a preference to play at Bromsgrove after the draw had been made but Raiders chairman Kevin Jenkins this week opened up the possibility of playing it at Claines Lane, Worcester, despite ongoing development there.

Jenkins is confident enough of the work can completed in time before suggesting competition officials could be asked to consider extending the fixture’s November 16 cut off so the match can act as a grand opening of the new facilities.

However, Goode has confirmed Gormley’s assertion that there has been no change of heart at City.

“We had a discussion at board level and decided we would play it at Bromsgrove, that was it really,” said Goode.

“The bottom line was we felt it best to play it on our home pitch, we have been drawn at home and that is Bromsgrove so why wouldn’t we play it at home?

“I was tagged into a comment on social media by someone who said they wouldn’t come unless it was in Worcester but other people have commented and most of them are pleased we are playing at Bromsgrove.

“Everyone is going to have an opinion and yes, it would have been great to play it in Worcester but in our own stadium – I wouldn’t want to play it in anyone else’s stadium.

“There is a cost to play at Bromsgrove but hopefully there will be interest around the game from the people of Worcester and neutrals as well.

“Some people may not come but hopefully there will be enough to warrant it being played at Bromsgrove – it will certainly be an interesting game that we hope people who follow Raiders will come over to.”

On Gormley’s comments, Goode added: “I can understand what he is saying but we play our home games at Bromsgrove and that is where we have decided to play this game.”

A date has yet to be set for the match.

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