THE group hoping to seize power at Worcester City believe they can make a success out of St George’s Lane before moving to a new stadium.
The Shareholders Action Group (SAG) have unveiled plans to relocate City to the Cinderella Sports Ground, Bransford Road, St John’s, on a near-six acre site in a rival bid to the proposed Nunnery Way development.
If voted onto the board at the November 28 annual general meeting, the group want to advance their talks with Worcester City Council over the project, which they hope will include an Olympic-size swimming pool.
But it could be four years before any scheme comes to fruition, meaning the Blue Square South club would have to remain at the Lane until 2012.
The group also claim the current timescale of two years for the Nunnery Way project, in conjunction with St Modwen, is likely to have doubled when potential lengthy planning processes are factored in.
In September, City announced a record loss of £85,895, taking the debt to £978,013, and the 2008 accounts, which include £19,600 to cover the cost of former manager Andy Preece’s compensation claim, are also expected to show a significant deficit.
However, SAG are confident they can start eating in to the year-on-year losses sooner rather than later.
Spokesman Barry Ward, a former chairman of Northampton Town, said: “In the meantime, we have got to face who’s going to fund Worcester City Football Club.
“This is what everybody’s missing. This club has lost a substantial amount of money this year.
“If, and it’s a very big if, we can out-vote those put forward by the current board, there are a lot of people there ready to really make it work — but this year will be a disaster financially.”
The group also believe their project will benefit St John’s and the surrounding area instead of forcing people out of the city.
“I see the positive side. There is nothing on the west side of town,” Ward added.
“You have got a huge catchment area, who would want to involve themselves in sport through Dines Green and St John’s and actually watch us. The other downside to going out to Spetchley is that it’s in the middle of nowhere.
“There are more than five acres at the Cinderella ground and we would try and make the best use of it.
“Another thing we thought of was to have a learning centre for children. Clubs, like Charlton, made a fortune by having a computer centre at one end of the ground.”
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