NEWBURY FC are hoping to put pressure on West Berkshire Council and avoid being kicked out of their ground at the end of the season.
The club, the only senior outfit in Newbury, have been served notice on their current Faraday Road home, which they have played at since 1963, and have to leave by June.
West Berkshire Council are redeveloping the ground and the London Road Industrial Estate but the club have nowhere to go.
Despite initially saying they did not intend to close the ground without a suitable replacement being found, the Council later claimed it “was not duty bound” to find an alternative site for the Thames Valley Premier League club.
A petition against the redevelopment has been started (https://www.change.org/p/save-football-in-newbury-and-create-a-vision-for-our-young-people) and it is just shy of 1,000 signatures.
The petition reads: “Please help us protect local football in Newbury and preserve its 100-year heritage and the vital role it plays in our community.
“In 2016 West Berks Council will demolish Newbury FC on Faraday Road as it progresses redevelopment plans, plans we believe are fundamentally flawed.
“Firstly, the club can’t be removed without Sport England’s permission. Currently this has not been granted and conversations with the council have been protracted – there is still no plan to offer an alternative space and wider recreational plan for Newbury as part of the 2025 Vision. Sport England are very clear that they will oppose the removal of any sports field if a new one that is needed is not provided.
“The football club, the only one in Newbury, has stood on the site since 1963 and has been used by all ages of people across the generations. The clubhouse is used by the community for social gatherings and club meetings and has done so for nearly 50 years.
“It is such an integral part of the fabric of our wider sporting community that there’s no doubt its loss would have devastating consequences.
“Local Newbury football has had an impact on the professional and international stage too, with Theo Walcott and Charlie Austin both starting their careers with AFC Newbury and Brendan Rodgers is an ex-Newbury Town player too.
“We’re therefore calling for a rethink and asking the Council to have open and transparent conversations with the passionate volunteers and players. We’d like to properly discuss investment and planning to ensure the club remains open and we use this opportunity to redevelop a great football facility for the whole community.”
