Town chairman John Fenty: We still need a new stadium
GRIMSBY Town remain committed to a move to a new stadium, according to chairman John Fenty.
Mr Fenty told a fans' forum at Blundell Park this week that he still believes the Mariners need to relocate from their current home in order to boost income and progress as a club with the ambition of retaining its Football League status.
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BELIEF: Town chairman John Fenty speaks to the fans at Blundell Park.
And he doesn't feel redevelopment of Blundell Park is a viable alternative to a move to a new home.
Mr Fenty said: "Talk of a new stadium first came about in 1994 and, when I joined the board of directors in 1999, it was my bag.
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"It stalled but in 2003 after the ITV Digital collapse we dusted down the planning application in a bid to move forward.
"As everyone knows we hit monumental barriers and many problems but we eventually won all our battles, going to great lengths at huge cost.
"We finally got planning permission and then the economy crashed.
"But I still believe we have to have a new stadium and that belief won't change."
The chairman insists Town can still realise the dream of a new stadium in the future but refrained from putting a timescale on a move.
He does believe, however, with the backing of North East Lincolnshire Council, it will happen.
Mr Fenty went on: "The council we have today is very willing and on board to help us.
"We still want to relocate and we need to.
"As for a site, Great Coates is not entirely dead and buried and that is still the preferred location.
"But we have to face facts that the scheme in its current form can't be delivered and that is why we have decided to let the current planning permission lapse.
"We have to reinvent the plan to move to Great Coates but we are also looking at other sites.
"We have not stopped working on it and myself, the board and Mike Parker (vice-chairman) remain committed to a move."
Asked at the forum if redevelopment of Blundell Park could be an option instead, Mr Fenty said that wasn't something being considered.
He added: "Redevelopment is always an option but I don't see that ever solving our problems.
"We need to have a facility that can provide seven-day income streams and a new stadium, with enough car parking, does that."
While a new stadium remains on the agenda, it's likely Town will be playing on at Blundell Park for the foreseeable future.
And the chairman confirmed the ground still meets Football League criteria should the Mariners achieve promotion from the Blue Square Bet Premier in May.
He said: "We have just submitted documentation and Blundell Park does fulfil the criteria for the Football League.
"If we do win promotion it will be straightforward for us going back into the league without any ground concerns."
Comments
by Georgybee, inmegaol
Friday, November 19 2010, 1:24AM
“Sorry, but it still sounds like Fenty wants his shopping mall built.”
by Richard, Grimsby born and proud
Thursday, November 18 2010, 8:19PM
“New stadium ! might as well move to Bradley and spend the money on a new manager.Matelot92, Grimsby.
Nice one M8 my back windows over look the pitches a lot of hard work as turned a derelict site into a very good stadium and pitches and very good changing rooms .
Well done to all who made it happen and welcome Grimsby Borough you will be the envy of others clubs.”
by Paul De Souza, G,Coates
Thursday, November 18 2010, 8:12PM
“DILLUSION MR FENTY. A new stadium for a team in the Blue Square league!! where they struggle to win a game! wake up man. gtfc need to be down bradley pitches for matches.”
by Andy, at home.
Thursday, November 18 2010, 8:05PM
“What about the land off Macauley Lane? They built an access bridge over the railway line, but there's nothing there, is there?”
by rob, grimsby
Thursday, November 18 2010, 6:22PM
“Mr Fenty, just how the hell do you boost income and progress as a club, if the fans are staying away, because the team is not sucessful, i put it to you, you want to relocate for reasons other than football, if blundell park could be redeveloped, then why has it not been over the years”
by Matelot92, Grimsby
Thursday, November 18 2010, 5:39PM
“New stadium ! might as well move to Bradley and spend the money on a new manager.”
by Bronx Minder, Nunny
Thursday, November 18 2010, 5:29PM
“Kris and Nelli Boy/Girl with name's like that no wounder very few people take you serious one day full support then the next calling for Woods out Prick.”
by kris, clee
Thursday, November 18 2010, 4:18PM
“Nellyboy, you cant come on here and be positive, you'll just get shouted down. I too have enjoyed this season so far. After the disaster of the Newell regime and the mess he left, we've consolidated, brought in some half decent players and shipped out some absolute cr@p for which the manager and chairman deserve credit (not that they'l get any). We're actually trying to play some decent football too. 3 points off the playoffs isnt bad at all. John Fenty and Neil Woods are town through and through and are genuine supporters of this club. Unlike some that come on here and moan every day. I look forward to a barrage of abuse following this post. UTM”
by Walter Mitty, Grimsby
Thursday, November 18 2010, 4:13PM
“Surely our priority should be to get a team to fill a new stadium rather than the other way round.
How will playing on a different pitch improve performance?
Maybe Mr. Fenty is trying to distract us from the current situation - namely 9th in the Blue Square.”
by nellyboy, grimsby
Thursday, November 18 2010, 4:02PM
“Gary, I'm confused. You state that we will not get out of this league and then say you hope you are wrong. Does that mean you think we might actually get out of the league - or not ?
It is not at all fair to confused ambition with funding. I think it is perfectly reasonably for Fenty, Woods and all the fans to be ambitious in the sense of us getting out of the BSP. For goodness sake we are almost in a playoff place now. I guess that if we end the season in a playoff space there will be loads of posts saying we have no chance of winning in the playoffs before a ball is even kick because Woods is rubbish, the players don't care and have no heart and Fenty lacks this that and the next thing.
For all those people calling for Fenty (and others) to put more of their money into the club why the hell should he. Would these people pay 3 times the current gate admission to help fund the club and / or donate by Direct Debit 10% of their wages to the club. Of course not, so stop expecting others to do it. If Fenty is preventing money from others being invested in the club then that's not good but I don't think that he is.
Final comment. I'm actually quite enjoying watching / supporting GTFC this year, as indeed are quite a few others that I know. I appreciate it is close to an arrestable offence to come out in the open and say such a thing but there you go, I've done it anyway”