Back to Wexham Park?

[Guest]

From todays Observer.

 

"SLOUGH Town could be playing at Wexham Park next season after all it was revealed this week.

 

Following a Slough Borough Council cabinet meeting on Monday the Observer has been told by Wexham Lea councillor David MacIssac that leaseholder Alan Thorne is willing to offer an extension to the lease to the supporters of the club.

 

The lease expired at the end of the season leaving the Rebels without the correct criteria to satisfy the Ryman League for playing at their home next season.

 

A groundshare with Windsor & Eton has been arranged by former club chairman, Martyn Deaner, costing £75,000 over three years, which will serve as the Rebels’ alternative home.

 

But Cllr MacIssac said: “Alan Thorne had offered the lease to Martyn Deaner, but Mr Deaner wanted to buy the land for £2 million. Alan Thorne said he hadn’t received payment for the last few years for the lease but was willing to negotiate a lease extension with the supporters as he feels very sympathetic towards them.”

 

Chris Sliski, secretary of the Slough Town Supporters’ Association (STSA), said at the club’s AGM that Mr Deaner owed Mr Thorne £50,000 for ‘rent of Wexham Park for the past few years’.

 

According to Cllr MacIsaac, Mr Thorne is due to meet with Slough Borough Council chief executive Cheryl Coppell to discuss a way in which an initial payment can be made for the extension to the lease.

But the supporters will need to take over the running of the club by forming Slough Town Supporters Trust (STST).

 

At Monday night’s meeting it was agreed to defer the decision to ratify the offer of land to the Sikh School for a further two months. Cllr MacIssac said the Sikh School is willing to sacrifice some of their land to accommodate the football club, allowing more land for Mr Deaner to develop his commercial venture.

 

Mr Deaner wanted 12 acres of land north of St Ethelbert’s School to build a hotel with 150 beds, training pitches and a fitness suite, which he believed would raise enough capital to buy the lease from Mr Thorne, thus enabling him to develop on the existing site which has a planning application for a 6,000-capacity stadium.

 

Slough Borough Council originally offered Slough Town 5.25 acres of land for their plan.

 

Alan Turvey, chairman of the Ryman League, said: “Any application by Slough to play at Wexham Park would be considered.”

 

 

Don't really know what to make of the above, but it would indicate that Deaner and Thorne are talking, but don't see eye to eye.

 

Whatever is decided, make it quick.