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Bromsgrove Rovers likely to fold

Submitted by WG on Sun, 15/08/2010 - 08:50

Bromsgrove Rovers looks likely to fold after 125 years.  The club has been expelled from the Zamaretto South and West after the Coumcil refused to give the club a lease to the Victoria Ground.  The club has had serious financial problems and has been marred by years of infighting between supporters and the current and previous board of directors.


The lease has gone to Bromsgrove Sporting a fans' owned club which includes some ex-directors of Rovers and plays way down the non-league pyramid in the Midland Combination Second Division.

Television deal for Conference

Submitted by WG on Sun, 15/08/2010 - 08:42

The Conference is close to a television deal for the Blue Square Bet Premier reveals the Non-League Paper.   A contract is likely to be signed with satellite subscription channel Premier Sports within a week.    The Conference has been without television coverage for a year since the collapse of Setanta.

Financial problems at Wrexham

Submitted by WG on Fri, 13/08/2010 - 10:16

Wrexham's failure to re-gain Football League status has clearly cost them financially, although the overall position is complicated as this statement from the club makes clear.   It is evident that the holding company, Wrexham Village, is subsidising the club to the tune of £1m a year.

Welling face winding up order

Submitted by WG on Fri, 13/08/2010 - 08:42

Blue Square South club Welling are the latest club to face a winding-up order from Revenue and Customs.  The club has reduced the debt by £30,000 with takings from pre-season matches, but a substantial amount remains.  A deal was nearly completed for the long-term owners, the Hobbins family, to sell the club to a local businessman but he turned out to have insufficient funds and has gone to Spain.

Kiddy on restricted budget

Submitted by WG on Thu, 12/08/2010 - 10:58

Kidderminster Harriers enjoyed a spell in the Football League but now they are having to operate on a restricted budget.  They are hoping that their prudent approach will pay off in the longer run, but season ticket sales have fallen over the summer, although this could have as much to do with the economic climate as their strategy.   They also hope that some new investors may come in.

Takeover at Forest Green

Submitted by WG on Sun, 08/08/2010 - 11:49

Cash strapped Conference club Forest Green Rovers, who have been struggling to pay off historic tax debts, look as if they are about to be taken over.   Dale Vince, Britain's richest green entrepreneur, is poised to make a bid.  His wind power company is based in Stroud, close to the Nailsworth club.  He has built up a £85m fortune and ranks 657th in the UK's rich list.  He has previously sponsored Shortwood United.


The good news follows the announcement last week of a lucrative two-year shirt sponsorship with Coventry Building Society.

Former league club stops playing

Submitted by WG on Sun, 01/08/2010 - 09:13

In 1923 they were the first  English club to travel to Real Madrid and beat them, a record that stood until Arsenal won in the 2005-6 Champions League.   From 1921 to 1931 they were members of the Football League having joined as founder members of the Northern Section and enjoying one season in Division 2.  But now Nelson, formed in 1881, have had to withdraw from the Vodkat North West Counties Premier Division and are up for sale.

Scarborough could disappear

Submitted by WG on Sun, 25/07/2010 - 08:22

Scarborough Town, who as Scarborough played in the Football League, could be wound up after their planning application to install floodlights at their George Pindar Community College ground was rejected.  The Northern Counties East League wihdrew their membership acceptance and they are currently without a league to play in.  The option of a groundshare with Scarborough Rugby Club was rejected by the league.  Whitby Town have offered Scarborough a groundshare, but the

Grays get into Ryman

Submitted by WG on Sun, 18/07/2010 - 09:13

Former Conference side Grays Athletic have been admitted into the Ryman League North for next season, but only after threatening to use an injunction against the Isthmian League.   They had been refused admission after the league authorities declared themselves not to be satisfied with their agreement to ground share with East Thurrock United.   They would have had to go down to Step 5 from each only one club is promoted from a league each season and has been described as a 'graveyard for fallen clubs'.

Not too grim at Grimsby

Submitted by WG on Mon, 12/07/2010 - 10:13

Relegation from the Football League to the Conference was understandably a blow to Grimsby fans.  The club has not been in the top division since 1948, but it is not so long since they were in what is now the Championship and they have generally been regarded as serious contenders in the Football League.   However, the club has had seven managers in nine years and there has been a rapid turnover of players with an inevitable use of loan signings.