TRURO CITY‘S match with Chelmsford City on Saturday could already be a play-off decider as chairman Peter Masters faces up to a £60,000 decision.
The Cornish club will make up their minds imminently over whether they want to pay what’s needed for them to be eligible for promotion from the National League South.
They sit just one place outside the top five with games in hand ahead of Saturday’s game against the visiting Clarets.
In a story which asks more questions of the FA’s ground grading committee, the White Tigers have already shelled out more than £50,000 to upgrade their stadium to the required B status, despite the fact they are tearing it down in May.
The bulldozers move in to Treyew Road early this summer and Truro will share next season with Torquay United – but that hasn’t stopped the club already having to stump-up a huge sum just to remain in the National League South.
In a move branded “daft” by Masters, clubs are not allowed to enter groundsharing arrangements in order to gain promotion.
Pressure
That means their soon-to-be-demolished home must have a 250-seater stand installed by March 31 if they are to compete in the play-offs.
Masters hinted that he is leaning towards writing a huge cheque but City fans – and the rest of the league’s promotion-chasers – should know soon if they are in or out of the play-off equation.
The chairman, whose side have lost just once since early October, told The NLP: “Decision time is imminent as it will take three weeks to get the stand built. It’s a big call for us and one we need to get right as it’s a sizeable sum.
“We’ve done what has been asked of us in terms of retaining our membership but now we need to upgrade further if we want to be eligible for promotion into the National League. It will cost between £50,000 and £60,000, that’s a lot of money.
“I’m not angry about it, we are where we are and we can’t change it. We know the rules. Our manager (Steve Tully) says he wants to go for it, which perhaps isn’t surprising. We all want to play at the highest level possible but if we eventually go on to miss out on the play-offs, it’s money down the drain. It does put the pressure on but we want to go up.”
The FA said: “As clubs are not allowed to enter into a ground-share agreement to gain promotion or retain membership, it was necessary for Truro to commit to completing the 2015-16 season at their existing ground or a new one – as such the deadline for improvements remains in force.
“The FA recognises Truro City’s commitment to improving facilities and in the medium-term, plans to relocate. However, as a governing body it is required to apply rules which take into account the needs of clubs and supporters with an even hand.”
