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Former chairman looks back on Worksop Town's previous exile in Gainsborough
Over and over again I find myself asking the same question. How has this been allowed to happen?
Almost 20 years since the last time Worksop Town found themselves without a ground and forced into sharing facilities with another club, history is repeating itself.
I am full of admiration for those who are prepared, once again, to put everything into ensuring that the name of Worksop Town Football Club lives on.
Likewise, I hope they are aware and have been well advised about the enormity of the task that lies ahead.
Keeping a football club afloat without a home is a massive undertaking. It will take over your life and will inevitably result in some personal financial commitment.
The differences between 1989 and the present are, however, somewhat worrying. Last time the club found themselves in this position there was 52,500 compensation for the loss of Central Avenue available to keep the club going. In addition Bassetlaw Council were fully committed with guidance and a generous 40,000 10-year interest free loan, a 40,000 bank loan was secured on guarantees, 15,000 came from Bass Brewery and grants were given by The Football Trust.
The finances available had to be carefully managed, but there was substantial money in the pot and I wonder where that kind of finance is going to come from this time around.
Another factor is that manager Tommy Spencer initially ran a team on a wage bill of little more that 250 a week, which I have no doubt would hardly get one player out on the pitch at today's rates, let alone 11.
Ground sharing is frustrating. You know what it's like when you rent a holiday home. Everything is there and it's all very nice -- but it all belongs to someone else.
Not long after I resigned from the board of directors at Worksop Town, I remember a conversation with one of the new directors.
It went something along the lines of: 'Look Mel, that family atmosphere you had was all very well, but with that the club was only going one way, down the leagues. Now we have it running on a solid business footing you'll see it going up'.
So what happened? How much would supporters give to have that family atmosphere now and still have the Sandy Lane ground to play on.
Everyone who played a part in getting Worksop back home after three seasons ground sharing with Gainsborough Trinity can be justifiable proud of what was achieved at that time.
The learning curves were sharp and mistakes were made along the way, but what a fantastic feeling it was when Tigers ran out onto Sandy Lane for the first time in a friendly against Lincoln City during July 1992.
Then came the first Northern Premier League home game against Lancaster City, who recognised the significance of the occasion and presented the club with a plaque. There was a crowd of 405 on Sandy Lane and Tigers ran out 6-2 winners
Initially thwarted in their bid to make the football club's home on land owned by the Co-op at Claylands Avenue, the board of directors had pleaded with Bassetlaw Council to find a ground and they came up with Sandy Lane.
Because the area had been used as a landfill site, problems regarding the possible presence of gas and the design of any foundations for building had to be addressed.
For example the foundations for the clubhouse alone cost in the region of 25,000 and that was before a brick had been laid.
Thanks to understanding bosses and the fact that some of the people who came onboard to help Tigers had their own businesses, the time was found for a seemingly endless round of meetings.
These were all necessary to resolve important matters such as the proper venting of all buildings and structures. Talks also had to take place with planning officers, architects, contractors and league officials to the extent that Worksop Town Football Club took over the lives of all involved.
Although Tigers had a new home the hard work continued to improve the facilities and meet the ever increasing demands of ground grading. This included hard standing for spectators on all sides of the ground and increasing the amount of covered seated accommodation.
Once again I think it is important to name the people who steered the football club through those difficult, but nevertheless enjoyable, early days at Sandy Lane. In additions to myself they were Tony Ridsdale, Wally Peace, John Ellis, Keith Ilett, Dickie Bromley, Chris Smith, John Shuker, Brian Vickers, Arthur Roddis, Rick Knowles and Alan Hollingsworth.
In turn the board of directors were supported by numerous volunteers, who gave hours of their time to keep the ground ship shape, fundraise and runs things such as the refreshment cabin and club shop.
The future for Worksop Town Football Club is now in the hands of a new dedicated group of people, who appear to be equally determined to achieve their goal as those back in the early 1990s.
Should the kind of funding required to continue at the present level not be forthcoming, then supporters need to accept that it is better to survive than go out of existance.
If I have one regret from my time involved with the club, it is that the desire to improve both the facilities and team was allowed to gather too much pace, with the resulting financial implications.
Had the club considered the hard-core of supporters, who are and will be, happy just to see Worksop Town Football Club playing -- and with their own ground -- the current situation may have been avoided.
In other words learn to consolidate what you have and progress at a controlled rate, instead of being swept along on the hysteria of promotion.
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Weather for Worksop
Monday 28 May 2012
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