Gloucester Park

[Barry Proudfoot]

Looks like all is not dead and buried!

 

(See main club site)

[slik]

Look's like a smart move to me,

 

All the benefits.. And we get to stay at New Lodge <img src="/images/graemlins/excited.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/excited.gif" alt="" />

[GazzaBTFC]

Yep, a good opportunity and a sensible one.

 

betcha those RAPE guys are gonna be upset.

[Billericay Blue]

.. Is that the

 

Residents Against People Enjoying... R.A.P.E.

 

or the

 

Rancid Arsed Pissed-up Egocentric's...R.A.P.E

 

Fuk em!

[c'mon ricay]

Ahhhh perfect the best of both worlds we stay were we belong in Billericay and get other revenue streams coming in

[The Observer]

don't quite know what is happening here. We have been told that are staying in New lodge, yet are still trying to build a stadium at GP. who will use it? Surely it won't be just for youth, reserve and ladies football, that wouldn't pay for the upkeep on the place. is it concievable that if one day billericay are on the verge of league football we will hot foot it over to basildon? I don't to start scaremongering but i hope the new chairman can come out with a clear and precise statement over this, ie, we will never go to GP. The recent attempted move there has done so much damage to our club, slowly attendances are ricing again i hope this doesn't spoil it. I read in the programme that a fans forum was planned but cancelled due to letting the new chairman bed in. Maybe now would be a good time to hold a forum and update us all the plans for the short term future and long term one.

[Billericay Blue]

I thought the GP development was self funding.

 

Not only was it self funding, it would provide a long term income.

 

If this is the case, then I for one don't give a fuk who plays there, as long as we stay at New Lodge.

 

Or have I missed something Obs?

[GazzaBTFC]

A letter to John Prescott's office from Steve Kent -

 

"I see the development at Gloucester Park as a fantastic opportunity to secure the football development, and financial future of Billericay Town FC.

 

It is my attention to grow this club as an asset to the community for Ladies, Men, Youth and seniors, this in turn will help our first team continuously improve.

 

I have said many times, our first team home is New Lodge, but we need additional space and income to sustain a future.

 

With the additional income, and the lure of a stadium that Gloucester Park will give, and an academy style set up for Youth and Ladies alike, we can become the areas leading club. Let's not forget the swimming pool, and general sports facilities which are also part of the development, facilities the Council can't afford to supply.

 

It would be a great loss to Billericay Town FC, and people of Basildon district if this development were rejected".

 

Note the third paragraph Obs...Can Steve say it any clearer than that?

 

 

[The Observer]

he also said that gloucester park was off when he first came in. Don't get me wrong, i'm grateful for what he has done and is doing, but i cant but help thinking that something doesnt add up in all of this.

Paul sturrock said a few weeks ago trhat he had no intrest in the southampton job. Today he is there new manager. What people say and then do can be 2 different things.

[Simon BTFC]

He was talking to some of us about this at Sutton on Tuesday... I think he feels that we, as a club have too much invested in it to pull out whilst there's a chance of being able to get some money out of it. He mentioned 2 possibilities - we could sell our stake in it to another club (there are plenty out there looking for a new ground) - meaning we get a tidy sum to develop New Lodge - or we look on it as a business venture bringing in a steady income, probably leasing out the pitch to another club...

 

If you're at all worried, don't forget the club is open on Thursday nights, why not pop down, have a pint and ask Steve for more info!

[Alice]

During earlier "discussions", it was pointed out that Planning Consent for the Gloucester Park proposal would be worth plenty of dosh. It was also pointed out that it was financial madness to think that BTFC could play in a 4000 capacity stadium. There was also conjecture that bearing in mind the above two facts, the previous board never really intended for that to happen and that the probability was that some other (bigger) club would occupy the stadium if it was ever built. And they (the board) will have made a few quid.

 

Now, we have a Chairman who is putting money in rather than taking it out. He is smart enough to know that BTFC cannot realistically expect to play in the new stadium. He is also smart enough to know that if planning approval is given, he has an asset of considerable value on his hands. The return on this asset could offset some of the considerable investment he has made in the Club, while still providing additional monies to improve the current New Lodge set up.

 

So, while some concerns are understandable, it seems that there is little risk of BTFC playing in Gloucester Park at any time in the future. It remains to be seen how the Authorities view the fact that BTFC will not be playing on the ground. I guess there are plusses and minuses in that equation.

[GazzaBTFC]

THE VOICE OF ALICE SPEAKS!!!

 

And for once, I agree to what is said.

[CANV EFM]

southend could be looking for a new ground soon.. mind you im sure billericcay would use it for big cup games etc and once they get used to the delux playing surface and 2 acre changing rooms the riccay allstars will want to play there all the time.. and finally gazza will be able to buy that 4 bed detached house on the new blunts wall estate ;-)

[Alice]

"Southend could be looking for a new ground soon"

 

Perish the thought, I got a hell of a rollicking when I suggested that a year or so ago!

 

So Gazza agrees with me at long last...Hallelujah!! At last he's seeing the light.

 

More seriously, there is only a minimal chance of BTFC ever playing on Gloucester Park, and this needs to be balanced against the fact that the Club was headed for liquidation, not to say extinction, if Steve Kent hadn't happened along. I can't see anyone else who would have come forward to settle the Stacey Winding Up Petition.

 

 

[CANV EFM]

the company that funds southend owns roots hall.. i think they want to ship southend out to fossets farm on the a 127 .. if that falls through a move to basildon could be on the cards.. bit of a shame as roots hall is a good nationwide ground

[Ryan.c]

Quote:

southend could be looking for a new ground soon..

Why do people persist in thinking that Southend would be interested in a move to Basildon? Saafend supporters would want to stay in Southend just as much as we wanted to stay in Billericay. I don't think a 4,000 capacity ground would meet thier requirements. Who says it has to be a football team that moves in?

 

Quote:

mind you im sure billericcay would use it for big cup games etc

That is just utter bollox.

 

Quote:

and finally gazza will be able to buy that 4 bed detached house on the new blunts wall estate ;-)

Again you know nothing. How many more times, New Lodge cannot be devoloped for housing. And as if Gazza could afford a four bedroomed house!!!

 

Some people are just destined to sell pegs for a living!

[CANV EFM]

maybe because southend fans discuss it on their boards if fossets farm falls through.. what they want and what they get may be two different things

 

true that is bollox i have to agree.. riccay, big cup game, totally my error i apologise..

 

why can new lodge not be developed for housing? some sports covenant..

 

and easy on the pikey abuse seeing as you live in what is now regarded as gypsy central

[Alice]

What is being said is that the Club can't develop New Lodge for housing. It is on a long lease from the Council which would not allow BTFC to gain the fruits of such a development.

 

However if the ground reverted to the Council for any reason, it certainly could, and probably would be used for more housing.

 

As I recall, it was the Club's decision to change plans for GP from a capacity of 8000 to 4000. I'm not sure the proposed ground size ever became a key issue in the planning arguments, and it's therefore quite possible that the proposed capacity could be increased. I guess that depends on what view the Council would take about having a league club as occupiers of GP (if SUFC manage to retain their league status!)

 

From BTFC's viewpoint it would be very advantageous if the proposed size could be increased. It would make the site more attractive to a league club; worth more to the Club; and more tempting to sell it on, or lease it out. This would reduce even further the prospect of BTFC moving there.

 

Ryan, rather than talk down the SUFC idea, I suggest it would be very beneficial to the Club to open up as many potentially profitable options as possible, including this possibilty. I agree it's a slim prospect at this time but I'm willing to bet that Southend officials are following developments very closely. I repeat, the more profit potential there is in GP, the less likely it will be that we will move there.

[pabird]

I love all this confidence in where you are heading, only recently you were all supporting your not "dead Parrot" chairman who you all said was a most sincere man who had the club at heart

Funny I thought I set eyes on him this week but it could not have been? this guy had a patch over one eye and a parrot on his shoulder

 

In truth it depends on the depth of your new money

Deep enough and you will need to move away from your present location to enable (at least) conference development

Move? where to I wonder, If the money is only patchwork then your correct and you will stay where you are

In Essex footballing terms keep the progress going

[GazzaBTFC]

Cheers for that Ryan...Pegs indeed!!!

 

So Canv...where are Canvey going to end up if the proposed new development doesn't go through. There was news that an area near Barleylands was offered. Bugger, if that happened then we will be "gypsy central" to a load of offshore pikys!!! Tell ya what, we'll rent out the Gloucester Park stadium to ya and be your landlords and keep all the pikys in one place.

 

It's either that or rent it out to Hornchurch. I'm sure that the population of Basildon wouldn't mind a bunch of Urchins running around...