AS the saying goes, good things come to those who wait.

Well, Worcester City have been waiting for what seemed like an eternity to sell St George's Lane.

After last October's much-trumpeted announcement that the club had finally secured a deal with St Modwen Properties to build a new stadium at Nunnery Way, things went very quiet at the Lane.

More than six months passed with very little news about the sale of the club's 100-year-old ground for housing finding its way into the public domain.

Rumours about problems in negotiations with potential buyers caused by the downturn in the property market spread and were later confirmed by chairman Dave Boddy.

In a statement on the club's website, he said: "We hoped to be able to complete the sale of St George's Lane back in early December 2007 and had finalised a deal with Bellway Homes, only for them to withdraw their offer at the 11th hour due to the change of climate in the housing market.

"Our commercial marketing advisors Knight Frank, who had previously advised us that the Bellway offer was the best of the six shortlisted bids that had been tendered, then went back to the tender process and recommended Careys as our best bidder."

However, following the resignation of three directors, fans became worried.

Armed with a supposed damning report about the way the board had handled the Nunnery Way project, the fans rallied to reform the supporters' trust.

It was a move made with the best of intentions for the club's future and the subsequent meeting was packed to the rafters at Worcestershire County Cricket Club.

Yet, it was also a move that ultimately seems to have acted as a catalyst for the events of the past 10 days.

For, just 24 hours before the supporters' trust meeting took place, the sale of St George's Lane was announced.

Although the club rightly said at the time they had been waiting to complete the deal for a number of weeks, there has to be an element of truth to the notion that the process was sped up to take any potential sting out of that meeting.

But, whatever the events leading up to the contracts being exchanged, it appears that it was worth the wait.

Because now chairman Boddy has revealed the club has secured a whopping sponsorship deal with Careys New Homes worth £250,000 over the next four years.

By anyone's standards, that is a lot of money and a figure that may silence some of the doubters on the terraces.

At the very least, it's money City can use to pay off some of their debts.

Of course it will still leave a hefty chunk but, for a club who have been struggling financially, it's a huge boost.

With the further news that shareholders will see artist's impressions of the new stadium at a meeting on May 20, things finally appear to be on the move.