Herts Advertiser

[HelenC]

Has anybody read the letters on page 6 of the Herts Advertiser? If not do so quickly. I thought all the letters and articles about St.Albans City FC would be in support of the club getting back on its feet. Well according to this, I'm wrong.

I had to read the first sentence of the letter at least twice, thinking that I had read it incorrectly. But no. A guy, (I wont mention names or retype any of the drivel that he came out with incase of copyright!), suggests that the city can hope the financial problems do result in the downfall of the club as it is an eyesore to the locals and on the Victorian park itself.<p>He complains about the fences that were erected, but does he really know why they have been put up? <p>I think the club is very picturesque and the park and the club compliment each other very well. He obviously hasnt been to some of the brother clubs in the league!<p>I'm sorry to bring this up as it doesnt help matters but made me quite angry. Suppose we wont be relying on your support then Mr.<p> <p>[ 24 January 2002: This message was edited by: admin ]</p>

[Rob_the_Saint]

Do you mean this Helen?<p>"Blight on park<p>It is to be hoped that the financial problems bedevilling St Albans City Football Club, which have led to the suspension of fixtures by the Football Association, result in the demise of the present club and thereby give us the opportunity to remove this blight on our beautiful Victorian park.

The football ground looks awful and is more like a prison than a top local sports venue. How and why has St Albans District Council allowed the more recent developments in particular the perimeter wall and ghastly "sheds" to be built? Let us hope the opportunity is taken to remove this blot on the landscape. If St Albans is to have another team, let it be located in the sports stadium at Verulamium Park, and please St Albans Council, get your act together and regenerate Clarence Park for the benefit of all local people." <p>Not sure what he means by ghastly "sheds" and he doesn't offer any suggestions as to how Clarence Park could benefit *all* the local people - build a supermarket perhaps? The football ground has been there a lot longer then he has and okay the fence is an eyesore but you can't blame the football club for that. Next up: someone complaining about the floodlights keeping him awake at night no doubt. Bahhhhh!!

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[Guest]

I don't think this 'concerned citizen' realises that the ground will be there, and still look the same, no matter the outcome of the court hearing.

He should take my adivce, if you don't like the sight of it, don't look.

[HelenC]

Im so glad you guys agree with me on this one! Its just a shame you couldnt have replied to version above it as that was the correct one! <p>I totally agree with the fact that the club has been there longer than him. According to his address underneath, he doesnt even live near the ground so quite what is problem is I dont know! I dont think the fence is that much of an eyesore anyway. York Road dont moan about it (other things maybe but not that!) yet they live on top of it! <p> <img src="graemlins/hyperaktiverkiffer.gif" border="0" alt="[hyperaktiverkiffer]" />

[EFM The Firm, The Voice]

I thought the Brown-Quinns had moved away!<p>Have they printed this muppetts street, if so a large peice of corrugated iron fencing should be winging it's way round.<p>Well that didn't annoy me as much as last weeks observer when they asked the people of St.albans what they thought of the demise of the club and interviewed a bunch of people who have never been. One amazing quote was "I used to live near Clarence Park and it was great to hear the sound of the ground from my bedroom on a Saturday" Sorry to ruin the atmos' for your sleeping quarters, buy a CD like the rest of us!

[True Saint]

You'll like this.<p>From the back page of this week's Herts Advertiser, the penultimate paragraph of the article by Duncan Jackson. <blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr> "I'm cautious about getting too excited. I have had somebody agree to purchase my shareholding before only to take a look at the books and walk away" he (Harding) said. <hr></blockquote><p>Really.What books?<p>

<img src="graemlins/buch.gif" border="0" alt="[buch]" /> <img src="graemlins/buch.gif" border="0" alt="[buch]" /> <img src="graemlins/buch.gif" border="0" alt="[buch]" /> <img src="graemlins/buch.gif" border="0" alt="[buch]" />

[Guest]

The Herts Ad doesn't plop through the letterbox at Trevor England Towers until Sunday afternoon, so I've only just seen this letter - a few points spring to mind:<p>1. Clarence Park was given to the people of St Albans as a recreation area. As I've mentioned elsewhere, if the council wanted to make City move out (and they've certainly had chances to that before), they'd have done it by now.<p>2. In order to "restore a great Victorian park", St Albans City Council would have to demolish Clarence Park as it is and put something else in it's place. Presumably, the writer of this letter will be happy to pay higher council tax or have other amenities slashed in order to complete this.<p>3. It would be quite nice, in a way, to have a purpose built ground in Verulamium Park. The writer of this letter would seem to indicate that the council will pay for this, too. More council tax hikes or cuts in other services, I'd imagine. Pleased to play for that too, I'd guess... We'd see when his council tax bill lands through his mock tudor letterbox - I'd rather suspect not. Football grounds don't come cheap - you'd be looking at upwards on five million quid to build anything usable, including new floodlights, car parking and a clubhouse. Presumably, the writer of this letter would be happy to share some of this bill to provide a couple of extra fountains and a bit more grass for the 50 or so dogwalkers that use Clarence Park every day.<p>4. I agree wholeheartedly that the perimeter wall looks ugly. This could be rectified with a lick of dark green paint, but I really don't think that it should be at the top of our list of priorities. <p>5. The relationship between the club and it's near neighbours has always been fractious, but it belongs to the whole of the city, not just the fans. With the whole of Verulamium to play with, the dogwalkers and Sunday morning strollers have plenty of places to visit. Kindly leave us be.<p>6. Shame on the Herts Advertiser, for printing such an unrepresentative view of the club's current problems. They have ignored the football club's financial difficulties for the last four months and, at a time when we REALLY need the support of local people, print a letter in isolation which is only likely to turn stupid people against the club.<p>FYI, anybody who wants to write to the writer of this letter to complain at his objectionable attitude towards one of his City's more venerable institutions will find his name and the road at the bottom of the letter printed in the Herts Advertiser.

[Nos]

And Lou Bega will give you the number.<p> <img src="graemlins/wiggle.gif" border="0" alt="[wiggle]" />