Taper
Mark McGann
Interesting Vornstyle.
Through the DHST, we need to get organised and decide what our aims are and how we can best help achieve a secure future for the club in or around Champion Hill. Plan A I suppose is to preserve the ground as is and move the club onto a more sustaianable footing. But I sense this position will be difficult to deliver. The plan B would be a new ground in Greendale, itself far preferable to a slow Fisher-like death, where we're eased out of Champion Hill onto the road. If a Greendale move allowed the club to move into different ownership (a CIC isn't a bad idea at all) and onto a securer financial footing then imv that would be a good outcome.
Big "if" though.
Whenever the issue of building houses in that area has come up before, there has been a huge negative reaction from locals, usually about parking, traffic etc. And this has translated into opposition from local councillors. Worth noting that one of the local councillors for the ward the Hamlet sits within is head of the council Peter John.
Hadley will know they have their work cut out getting anything built on the site because of opposition from locals and they won't want to fight on two fronts with the supporters too. So there is some leverage with Hadley. I walk my dog on Greendale sometimes and it is a waste land which is barely used. Baseing a stadium on or about the all weather pitch, allied with a plan to enhance the area surrounding it (so eg to turn it into a park or community greenspace) might help swing locals and the council behind the idea, particualrly if the new ground could include other facilities for community use.
So there's a lot to negotiate for. But the question is who is in a position to negotiate. As a first step, a fan takeover of the club is needed so the yahoos who currently run it can be eased out of the picture. And then the real fun can start.
Through the DHST, we need to get organised and decide what our aims are and how we can best help achieve a secure future for the club in or around Champion Hill. Plan A I suppose is to preserve the ground as is and move the club onto a more sustaianable footing. But I sense this position will be difficult to deliver. The plan B would be a new ground in Greendale, itself far preferable to a slow Fisher-like death, where we're eased out of Champion Hill onto the road. If a Greendale move allowed the club to move into different ownership (a CIC isn't a bad idea at all) and onto a securer financial footing then imv that would be a good outcome.
Big "if" though.
Whenever the issue of building houses in that area has come up before, there has been a huge negative reaction from locals, usually about parking, traffic etc. And this has translated into opposition from local councillors. Worth noting that one of the local councillors for the ward the Hamlet sits within is head of the council Peter John.
Hadley will know they have their work cut out getting anything built on the site because of opposition from locals and they won't want to fight on two fronts with the supporters too. So there is some leverage with Hadley. I walk my dog on Greendale sometimes and it is a waste land which is barely used. Baseing a stadium on or about the all weather pitch, allied with a plan to enhance the area surrounding it (so eg to turn it into a park or community greenspace) might help swing locals and the council behind the idea, particualrly if the new ground could include other facilities for community use.
So there's a lot to negotiate for. But the question is who is in a position to negotiate. As a first step, a fan takeover of the club is needed so the yahoos who currently run it can be eased out of the picture. And then the real fun can start.
