Bedford Town Ground?

[davealbon]

A couple of points that haven't been considered yet.

1) oliverrush, you keep saying we don't have money to spend on improving Hayden Road (or any other ground we might go to), but this is simply not true. The club has a healthy bank balance, which I won't post on here, but is available for all members to see in the 2015/16 Accounts section of the members' forum. It's not millions, but it's enough to make some substantial improvements to the facilities. We of course want to retain that money to go towards a ground of our own one day, and I'm not saying we should use it, just that it is there, and is an option if necessary.

On top of that, there are a number of funding options that may be available to us to improve HR, e.g. Football Foundation. The D&D is owned privately making it more difficult to obtain this type of funding, but as HR is owned by a trust it might well be easier to obtain funding.

2) A couple of people have now mentioned the state of other grounds at our level, particularly the appalling Central Ground (home to Romulus and Sutton Coldfield, who are actually a league higher), but please don't be naïve enough to think that that has any bearing on us getting HR (or any other Step 5/6 ground) approved for Step 4 football. We had to jump through hoops to get the D&D up to Step 4 standard, despite the fact that it was already better than the grounds of countless clubs already at Step 4 and above. For example, how many places have we visited at this level where the car park is inside the ground - we had to fence off the D&D car park just to get into Step 5, let alone Step 4!

[Dowlo]

This time next year we'll be still be playing at the D&D. You heard it here first!

[oliverrush]

A couple of points that haven't been considered yet.

1) oliverrush, you keep saying we don't have money to spend on improving Hayden Road (or any other ground we might go to), but this is simply not true. The club has a healthy bank balance, which I won't post on here, but is available for all members to see in the 2015/16 Accounts section of the members' forum. It's not millions, but it's enough to make some substantial improvements to the facilities. We of course want to retain that money to go towards a ground of our own one day, and I'm not saying we should use it, just that it is there, and is an option if necessary.

On top of that, there are a number of funding options that may be available to us to improve HR, e.g. Football Foundation. The D&D is owned privately making it more difficult to obtain this type of funding, but as HR is owned by a trust it might well be easier to obtain funding.

2) A couple of people have now mentioned the state of other grounds at our level, particularly the appalling Central Ground (home to Romulus and Sutton Coldfield, who are actually a league higher), but please don't be naïve enough to think that that has any bearing on us getting HR (or any other Step 5/6 ground) approved for Step 4 football. We had to jump through hoops to get the D&D up to Step 4 standard, despite the fact that it was already better than the grounds of countless clubs already at Step 4 and above. For example, how many places have we visited at this level where the car park is inside the ground - we had to fence off the D&D car park just to get into Step 5, let alone Step 4!

One moment you stated I'm right that it will cost a lot of to do up Hayden Road, and then the next moment you state a different thing? How come, and when did I state that about other grounds, I never stated that.

[Oundle Diamond #2]

A couple of points that haven't been considered yet.

1) oliverrush, you keep saying we don't have money to spend on improving Hayden Road (or any other ground we might go to), but this is simply not true. The club has a healthy bank balance, which I won't post on here, but is available for all members to see in the 2015/16 Accounts section of the members' forum. It's not millions, but it's enough to make some substantial improvements to the facilities. We of course want to retain that money to go towards a ground of our own one day, and I'm not saying we should use it, just that it is there, and is an option if necessary.

On top of that, there are a number of funding options that may be available to us to improve HR, e.g. Football Foundation. The D&D is owned privately making it more difficult to obtain this type of funding, but as HR is owned by a trust it might well be easier to obtain funding.

2) A couple of people have now mentioned the state of other grounds at our level, particularly the appalling Central Ground (home to Romulus and Sutton Coldfield, who are actually a league higher), but please don't be naïve enough to think that that has any bearing on us getting HR (or any other Step 5/6 ground) approved for Step 4 football. We had to jump through hoops to get the D&D up to Step 4 standard, despite the fact that it was already better than the grounds of countless clubs already at Step 4 and above. For example, how many places have we visited at this level where the car park is inside the ground - we had to fence off the D&D car park just to get into Step 5, let alone Step 4!

One moment you stated I'm right that it will cost a lot of to do up Hayden Road, and then the next moment you state a different thing? How come, and when did I state that about other grounds, I never stated that.

Are you a robot? Or a K*ttering fan?

I'd be voting for the ground nearest the Chowns Mill roundabout that didn't force us to go backwards divisions wise.

[Pigman]

I suggest you read it again Oliver - Dave commented in the second paragraph that "a couple of people .... " had mentioned - not you !! First para relates to you only!

[FOOTYMAN]

Raunds Town gets my vote, or the pitch of Higham Colts, near the college on the Kimbolton Road.

[sussexdiamond]

Just arrived in to work in Ampthill to be greeted with chorus's that we will be sharing with Bedford Town next season. There was a large piece apparently in the local press over the weekend. We all know of course that until after Wednesday we don't know where we will be going but I for one had not heard Bedford being talked about amongst supporters to date. Not a bad venue to get to though.

May I suggest your workmates buy a different newspaper in future!!

[Curly]

I for one am extremely happy with at least one of the options put forward. I don't know and never will that the idea that the stand has to be demolished for us to be there came from. The fact that it won't take anywhere near as much to make it up to standard as some were suggesting makes it the obvious choice.

I haven't been this excited about our club for a long time and feel this is the first step in being where we want to be in the long term

[Pytchleydiamond78]

Couldn't agree more Curly. Seems that more often than not, the best policy would be not to guess and assume that things aren't achievable/affordable/do'able.
For me there is only one logical choice out of the three options and IF (pay attention Oliverrush) IF (put it there twice for you) Hayden Road is chosen as our new "home" i think this could potentially be a big springboard for where this club could go in the future.
Oh and the gent who stood up and got the biggest round of applause of the evening (Mr N i believe)........give that man a knighthood ;)

[The Godfather]

If we do move to Hayden Road, does that mean Rushden & Higham will be losing the Reserve team?