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Stadiums

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New financial crisis hits Darlo

Submitted by WG on Sun, 20/02/2011 - 16:30

Darlington FC has been plunged into a new financial crisis and the future of the club has been placed in jeopardy.  Chairman Raj Singh has said that he may walk away from the club after the holding company that owns the club's Northern Echo Arena stadium and the surrounding land was placed into receivership.   He is thought to be putting £20,000 a week into the club.

Stags make progress in ground battle

Submitted by WG on Sun, 20/02/2011 - 10:41

Mansfield Town look as if they are making progress in their battle to regain control of their Field Mill ground.  Their legal dispute with landlord Keith Haslam has been referred by the county court to the High Court.


The judge also ruled that Haslam would not be able to attempt to repossess Field Mill until the counter-claim of current owner John Radford is resolved.  The Stags will pay rent for this season and next in two £95,000 instalments into an account jointly controlled by both men.

Directors will continue to bankroll Pirates

Submitted by WG on Fri, 18/02/2011 - 21:08

The directors of Bristol Rovers will continue to bankroll the club and there is no risk of the Pirates going into administration even if they lose their battle against relegation to League 2.   Rovers'  last set of published results which covered the 12 months to June 2009 revealed a loss of more than £1.7m and debts approaching £4m.

O's step up pressure on Olympic Stadium

Submitted by WG on Thu, 17/02/2011 - 10:39

Leyton Orient are asking the Premier League to consider the impact on them of West Ham's move to the Olympic Stadium which is less than half a mile from the Matchroom Stadium.  Orient chairman Barry Hearn argues that the move would breach Premier League regulation I, part 6.6 which stipulates that 'no club shall remove to another ground' if that move 'could adversely affect clubs (or Football League clubs) having their registered grounds in the immediate vicinty of the proposed location.'

The challenge for Spurs

Submitted by WG on Sun, 13/02/2011 - 10:40

If Spurs are to maintain their effort to be a top four club in the long run, they need to increase their matchday revenue.    Chelsea earn almost twice as much as them from matchdays, Arsenal two-and-a-half times as much and Manchester United not far short of three times as much.  The constraint in improving Spurs' revenue is the stadium which sells out.

West Ham's plans for Olympic Stadium

Submitted by WG on Sun, 13/02/2011 - 10:29

Despite somewhat harshly being described as 'a declining club' by the Financial Times yesterday, West Ham won the unanimous backing of the board of the Olympic Park Legacy Company (OLPC) to take on the Olympic Stadium after the 2012 games.    Like Manchester City, they have become the beneficiaries of a venue built for a one-off sports event.

Spurs may sue

Submitted by WG on Fri, 11/02/2011 - 09:30

West Ham are preparing a victory press conference at a site overlooking the Olympic Stadium for later today.   However, there may be yet another twist in this saga, as Tottenham Hostpur are thinking about seeking a judicial review of the Olympic Park Legacy Company's widely leaked decision.


They may make a challenge under European competition law on the basis that the deal involved illegal state aid.  West Ham would need to take out a £40m Treasury-backed loan from Newham Council to finance the cost of converting the stadium.

Arsenal do well on matchday revenue

Submitted by WG on Thu, 10/02/2011 - 19:59

Arsenal are the only club in the Deloitte Money League to receive more than 40 per cent of revenues from matchday activities.  The club ranks 3rd in Europe in terms of matchday revenue of €114.7m, behind Manchester United in 2nd place with matchday revenues of €122.7m.   The seventh ranked club, Liverpool, earn only 53 per cent of Barcelona's total and less than €2m per match compared with more than €3.5m for Arsenal and Manchester United.

West Ham lead in final lap for Olympic Stadium

Submitted by WG on Thu, 10/02/2011 - 10:06

West Ham lead in the final lap of the Olympic Stadium race with Olympic bosses poised to back their bid.   Despite their bid offering a poorer return for the taxpayer than that from Spurs, West Ham have played their political cards well.

New twist in Olympic Stadium saga

Submitted by WG on Wed, 02/02/2011 - 10:37

There has been a new twist in the Olympic Stadium saga with a split emerging in the athletics camp which up to now has been united in its support of the West Ham bid.   The Association of British Athletics Clubs, a grassroots body, has argued that the Spurs scheme which involves upgrading Crystal Palace is a realistic alternative.