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New ground

Nik...we had a bit of hype thrown around after the agm and it was plugged about the "opportunity" of a ground rental around Northwich or close by, with quality facilities. I didn't expect that to be the place to be where we are basically currently located!!
We have had too many false promises now...diagrams of grounds that will never be built, promises of a new future in top class facilities in Northwich!
Getting into the Northwich area (not the outskirts like Barnton), has always been the main goal of the club. I don't see the point of facilities, good as they are, when they are still outside the area we need to be in to be realistically called "1874 Northwich".
I live in Winsford, i may as well go to watch them if we are staying here!!!
 
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Kit said:
Don’t mean to sound harsh here but we brought in very few new faces over the summer and it cost us the season. I hope they drop their standards a little for next year - I’d rather see a strong squad with a few ‘rough around the edges’ players if that’s what it takes.
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I too would like that, I’d have liked that to have been so at the start of this season. But what I was trying to get at was that simply because of this potential opportunity and as they’ve maintained their standards so far, I would be a little disappointed if these were to be compromised so easily. Purely hypothetical and just my musings so probably a tad bit unfair to air them on this thread.
 
There is a very long way to go for Cheshire FA before this ambitious plan is realised.
When it does then Cheshire FA will need to turn a profit.
1874 may have signed a memorandum of understanding with the FA but that does not mean that the rent will be cheap. Cheshire FA will look to get maximum return for their investment and set prices as high as they can.
Winsford United could sell their ground and be cash rich to move to this new facility.
The other team in green have a rich businessman with deep pockets.
1874 fans should not expect that the tenancy agreement will be signed at a rental rate comparable to Barnton.
There could well be an bidding auction?
 
As far as I'm aware Winsford United don't own their ground, it belongs to Winsford Borough Council.
 
Joe Reacher said:
There is a very long way to go for Cheshire FA before this ambitious plan is realised.
When it does then Cheshire FA will need to turn a profit.
1874 may have signed a memorandum of understanding with the FA but that does not mean that the rent will be cheap. Cheshire FA will look to get maximum return for their investment and set prices as high as they can.
Winsford United could sell their ground and be cash rich to move to this new facility.
The other team in green have a rich businessman with deep pockets.
1874 fans should not expect that the tenancy agreement will be signed at a rental rate comparable to Barnton.
There could well be an bidding auction?
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Winsfords ground is on a long term lease from the Town Council so no cash rich club there. Local politics is likely to be the biggest issue of who ends up where should the new facility be completed
 
Blackie said:
..............I live in Winsford, i may as well go to watch them if we are staying here!!!
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Just then need to support Witton and you'll have a full house of clubs you have supported over the last 6 years :p lol!!

Seriously though, what a fantastic opportunity...BUT..... there is a long way to go before anything happens..... let's just see how this plays out..... throughout the process we may well lose some 'fans' but conversely, we may also gain a whole lot more......
 
If we decide to move to Knights Grange it would provide not just excellent facilities but a long term base which may not be available at more local locations such as Barnton, Winsford, or Witton.
 
Tony said:
As far as I'm aware Winsford United don't own their ground, it belongs to Winsford Borough Council.
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Thank you for pointing that out.

Do Winsford Town Council own parts of Knights Grange?
Surely they will be involved in the planning of the new facility?
 
On criticisms raised in relation to the club name and location ... to me that name represents as much the club's heritage, the people behind it, the work that has gone into getting the club where it is, and the work that club does in the community. It's a brand, in modern parlance, and we are building that brand, developing in people's minds conceptual associations with the club. Those include community, sustainability, transparency, engagement, ambition. There is an opportunity here to add prestigious to that list, by riding on the publicity around the new development, profiting (in a wider non-monetary sense) merely from being associated with it. And also to capitalise from demonstrating that the club is trusted/valued in wider footballing circles by being offered this opportunity.

On the down side, there is the obvious key concept of the name of 'Northwich' not being reflected by the location. This will undoubtably weigh heavy on some people's minds. But there are plenty of clubs around who play outside the strict confines of the place in their name. And this would not prevent the club continuing to seek the land (and the few million ££) to fulfil the ultimate aim of having a home of our own in Northwich.
 
pdw said:
I also thought that Stuart said there was no council land involved or did I misshear that. Sure KG is council owned.
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He said there would be no council funding involved (at that stage). CWAC own the golf course.
 
simon barton said:
Just then need to support Witton and you'll have a full house of clubs you have supported over the last 6 years :p lol!!
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Being as many 74 fans watch went to watch Winsford on many occasions (haven't done that myself so cant count them yet????) and are now doing the same with Barnton seems im not on my own then!! ????.
 
In terms of fan numbers, apart from existing fans, I can imagine new people becoming aware of the facility and wanting to give it a try. People will associate with something new and special on the doorstep , particularly pensioners or those with young children. ( others in-between may want to face the hurly burly of Old Trafford, Anfield etc) . I do not watch football in Dorset as I can't face the fight of going into Bournemouth so I wish there was something like the proposed arena in this part of the world. People have said that we would be rattling around in a 3000 capacity ground but remember the official capacity of the Barton Stadium is 3000 so in theory, no change .

To miss out over the name is to throw out the baby with the bathwater ; as I see it Alan M has hit the nail on the head .
 
danebanker said:
I do not watch football in Dorset as I can't face the fight of going into Bournemouth so I wish there was something like the proposed arena in this part of the world.
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Lived down here over 30 years, never been to a match at Bournemouth (but strangely due to watch England U21's there in a few weeks prompted by grandson)
Poole Town fans would jump at the chance of such a development, as noted above.
Join me at Cuthbury to watch Wimborne Town some time ... ;) Not a glittering arena, just a good old-fashioned NL ground.



Oh ... development raised at this very moment by MP Antoinette Sandbach during PMQs, inviting the PM to come and open it. Don't think she'll be PM when it gets built.
 
further to ALs comments.Antionete Sandbach conservative MP for Eddisbury on Prime Ministers Question Time congratulated Ches FA on the decision to build this new facility in Winsford and did indeed invite Theresa May to perform the opening ceremony at the new facility.However Theresa made a balls or her reply and congratulated CHESTER FA. on the announcement However one for the diary me-thinks !
 
There is nothing to stop both Winsford and ourselves sharing this facility. Stuart said at the AGM that they hadn't ruled out the possibility of two clubs playing Saturday football there.
The WPL play Sunday's I believe?
 
Andy said:
Winsford United showing their lack of class once again on social media over this.

Wherever we end up, at least it won’t be at their ground.
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Whatever one thinks about the announcement, I think we should be grateful for all the efforts put into the process by our Board. The wish for us to be "back in Northwich" is clearly somewhere in the future. Cost and land availability are large stumbling blocks and it seems to me that the Board have taken a pragmatic approach in difficult circumstances. No doubt, the issue will be put to a membership vote and I believe we would be foolish to prejudge this until we are made aware of all the ramifications. A return to Northwich may be possible in the future, but, in the interim, we should back the Board's approach in full. If we don't, the opportunity may be withdrawn and another entity will step into the breach and we will never know how it would have turned out for us. Yes, there are some difficult times ahead. Embrace the opportunity, back the Board and look forward to using a facility that most non league clubs would be delighted to call home.
 
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