Time Scale

[Woody SUFC]

What do you think is a realistic Time scale for Slough to go back to slough then?

 

I'd say it's still 5 years away but what do i know!

[Matt]

5 years? We can't be choosy. I'd take 5 years if that's what it HAD to be - provided we're able to stay at Windsor in the meantime...

[Martin]

Realistically - could be never. Listening to the current council it seems almost hopeless. Would need a political shift to a favourable regime - whoever that may be. Then they would need to stay in control throughout the planning and development stages. The other difficulties are finding a suitable site and finding the money. That was catered for in the Britwell regeneration which we all know was taken away.

[GarySTFC]

I think we're looking at at least three years once a site has been identified. When that is? Nobody knows. Can't see the current council changing their minds on us, so we can only hope, and push for, a return to Labour at the next local elections - which I believe is a long, long way away yet.

[Matt]

I believe there is still a chance if the club can come up with something 'reasonable' in the eyes of the council - what that is, who knows?

[GarySTFC]

The only problem may be Mr Deaner himself. I've not seen him at a match for a long, long time and can only hope that is because he's busy getting deals with his company rather than him having lost interest altogether in the club.

[Matt]

I can't see how or why his interest would have waned when we were in the middle of a potentially record-breaking FA Cup run. But what news of this new board of directors?

[Guest]

Where can one find an objective, dispassionate and factual account of the recent history relating to Slough Town's predicament? Does such an account exist, or can one only get information from the protagonists' point of view, such as this messageboard?

[Don Juan DeMarcus]

i agree with Gary 3 years to build a ground, maybe shaved down to 2 if fans can regularly help out wherever possible... heres a question... I wonder if the thornes would let us dismantle the ground, and rebuild it, i know it sounds stupid but it would be far cheaper and they would only be knocking it down in the near future anyway.... Also STFC curious (which sounds like some strange sexual orientation) You will not find and dispassionate viewpoint on this subject from here, everyone cares too much.

[RebelsRUs]

Quote:

Where can one find an objective, dispassionate and factual account of the recent history relating to Slough Town's predicament? Does such an account exist, or can one only get information from the protagonists' point of view, such as this messageboard?

I'm not sure that what you're wanting exists as such.

The local and national newspapers have done a number of articles both recently and during the last few months and I'd guess that that's about as "dispassionate and factual" as you're going to get.

[Chris]

Just out of interest I know we can't go back to Wexham Park cos of the Landlord and Tennancy act the Ryman League want, but what if we got promoted (big If I know). Do the Connie South have the same rule in place?

[Burnham Lad]

Quote:

Just out of interest I know we can't go back to Wexham Park cos of the Landlord and Tennancy act the Ryman League want, but what if we got promoted (big If I know). Do the Connie South have the same rule in place?

Here is what I believe is the latest state of play on grounds, sharing and financial stability. I suspect we would be in difficulty....... (These are a summary of the rules from the Conference Guide website - the rules themselves, apparently, are copyright)

Clubs in the Isthmian Football League, Northern Premier League and Southern Football League who are potential applicants for promotion to the Conference must meet the Conference's criteria which, in summary, are:-

ground grading
An club wishing to be promoted to the Conference must apply for a ground grading or re-grading by 1st August before the season starts - e.g. a club seeking promotion at the end of 2003/4 had to apply for the grading by 1st August 2003. Grading assessments normally take place in September and October. The result will be a "Conference Grading" or no grading.
The inspection will take into account plans for improvement which are intended to be completed by 1st April.

Any work identified by the inspection that needs to be done to get a Conference Grading must be completed by 1st April. The rules contain some vague clauses such as "If in the opinion of the Conference Inspection Committee there are any extraneous objects within the boundary of the ground or the ground has an irregular configuration of seating, standing and covered areas which does not conform to the recognised standard design of a professional football stadium the club will not be considered for membership."

The club's stadium must meet a minimum operational capacity of 4,000, including a Main Stand with at least 500 seats. It must be possible for spectators to view the match, either standing or seated, for the full length of all 4 sides of the playing area. Other configurations may be accepted at the Conference Board's discretion.

There are a raft of other detailed requirements (e.g. specification of changing rooms, number of turnstyles, etc).

A Conference club is deemed to be seeking promotion to the Football League, so rules are in place regarding achieving FL Admission Critera - and a club can be ejected from the Conference if it does not provide plans by 1st April for meeting those requirements. The Admission Criteria, and other FL standards, are detailed here. Basically, it's 5,000 capacity including 1,000 seats.


ground sharing
A club sharing another club's facilities will not be allowed promotion unless:
The ground meets the Conference Grading and the share has been in place (as Landlord or Tenant) for at least one full season.
The location of the ground is within the conurbation whose name the club bears or is traditionally associated. "Conurbation" takes into account county boundaries, local authorities, distances, road network, rival clubs, and other factors.
The conference can limit the number of clubs it will accept that are sharing grounds due to the extra complexity of fixture arrangements. No application for a ground share agreement will be accepted during the first three years of a club being elected into membership of the Conference, except when the share meets the terms of a 'short term' agreement (less than 12 months) while a current ground is being developed.
'Sharing' applies to non-football sports, and clubs will not be accepted if their home venue has an athletics track around the pitch.

the playing area
The pitch must be at least 100m by 64m, and the perimeter barriers must be 2.25m (preferably 2.75m) from the touchline.
The playing surface must be grass, and the maximum slope is 1:41 in any direction (the same requirement as the Football League).

financial status
A club in administration, or operating under a CVA or other insolvency procedure, will not be eligible for promotion. If a club is not in such a condition, but the Conference feels there is doubt over its viability, an Bond may be demanded, and used to pay debts to the Conference and its members if necessary.
Disputes into eligibility are referred to an Appeal Board of the FA, the findings of which are final and binding.

NB This applies to the criteria for the 2003/4 season, as set out in June 2003, which we believe to be the latest version of the rules at the time of writing.