attila
1997 Club
I'm sure many of you know of the long decline of Southwick FC, once a real power in local football.
After more than 20 years we have the chance to bring that decline to an end.
Here's the story. We've obviously been there before on a much bigger scale
Indeed the Wickers' decline began around the same time as the Albion's, and at the time was obviously totally overshadowed by it.
There's lots of enthusiasm for a new community club - they just have to get Old Barn Way back.
Please help.
SOS - SAVE OUR SOUTHWICK!
BRING HOME THE WICKERS!
In March 2020, after many years of sad and totally avoidable decline at its home ground, Old Barn Way, the former owner of Southwick Football Club surrendered the lease on it to the landlord Adur & Worthing District Council, who have since closed it due to health and safety issues.
The club has been reconstituted as a Community Interest Company by committed local people - with none of the former owners involved - the intention being to convert into a Community Amateur Sports Club in due course. Adult, under 18 and youth teams have been secured, with thirty-two club officials, managers and coaches in place in readiness for the new season.
Until recently the future was looking bright: a Director of Adur & Worthing District Council had confirmed that the Council were committed to ensuring that Southwick Football Club would continue to play at the ground once it was safe to do so. Subsequently Southwick FC made a formal offer to AWDC to obtain a temporary licence and make good the necessary repairs at their cost. The council have not responded to the offer.
AWDC hosted a Zoom meeting on 24 July involving the football club and three other organisations who have declared an interest in obtaining a lease at Old Barn Way. As a result of this meeting they intend to instruct agents to seek proposals from all interested parties. They have not been willing to guarantee that Southwick Football Club are assured of a return to Old Barn Way.
They have stated that regardless of the selection of the leaseholder, reserved use for 'affiliated' football and ‘Saferide’ will be a condition of selection of the future leaseholder. (‘Saferide’ is a motor cycle training company currently operating at the premises.)
The new Southwick Football Club (1882) CIC are making one simple demand of the Council: that the same condition guaranteeing the future of ‘Saferide’ be given to the football club. That regardless of who is granted the lease a precondition will be that Old Barn Way will continue to be the home of Southwick FC, the club which has played there for many decades, and until a recent sad decline enjoyed major success there at county football level and above.
Within the last few days it has been confirmed that there are debts owed by the former owners of the club. The rules of the Football Association require that all such debts are paid in full, secured or transferred to the new entity. This seeks to protect the integrity of the game by ensuring that a club does not gain a sporting advantage by not paying its debts and nevertheless retaining its position in the National League System.
The Southwick Football Club (1882) CIC totally endorse the reasons for this. We are not able to comply with the FA rule – we have no financial connection to the previous owners and are in no way responsible for the debts incurred by them - and regretfully must accept that the club cannot continue within the National League System for the forthcoming season.
The football management and current first team playing squad are fully committed to the Club at this crucial point in its 138 year history and the new, reborn Southwick FC will start again - at Intermediate level, playing at Buckingham Park - to comply with the regulations.
And we are hereby launching BRING HOME THE WICKERS! calling on AWDC to grant the club the right to return home to Old Barn Way the moment the ground improvements are completed, in order to rebuild our future and return to affiliated football ASAP.
Southwick FC was once one of the leading clubs in Sussex. We have won the County League many times, played in the Isthmian League and reached the first round of the FA Cup. The last years have been really difficult, but that era is now over and will never come back. We will return to happier times as a democratically-run, member-owned community club with a vibrant and enthusiastic youth section, ensuring a great future.
If you love grass roots football please support the campaign to
SAVE OUR SOUTHWICK and BRING HOME THE WICKERS
by emailing that simple statement to the officers of Adur & Worthing Council who are involved in the ground issue at present:
Cian Cronin, Head of Major Projects & Investment
cian.cronin@adur-worthing.gov.uk
Martin Randall, Director for the Economy
martin.randall@adur-worthing.gov.uk
Robert Crossan, Property & Investment Manager
robert.crossan@adur-worthing.gov.uk
Adrian Rice, Property Management Surveyor
adrian.rice@adur-worthing.gov.uk
And emailing the same to the local ward councillors for the Southwick area:
Stephen Chipp
stephen.chipp@adur.gov.uk
David Balfe
david.balfe@adur.gov.uk
Angus Dunn
angus.dunn@adur.gov.uk
Peter Metcalfe
peter.metcalfe@adur.gov.uk
David Simmons
david.simmons@adur.gov.uk
If you would like to be involved in the new Southwick Football Club (1882) CIC in any way please email Tony at tony.kybett@ntlworld.com
For media enquiries please contact Dan Gander
gooseydan@gmail.com 07850 218051
RELEASE ENDS
After more than 20 years we have the chance to bring that decline to an end.
Here's the story. We've obviously been there before on a much bigger scale
Indeed the Wickers' decline began around the same time as the Albion's, and at the time was obviously totally overshadowed by it. There's lots of enthusiasm for a new community club - they just have to get Old Barn Way back.
Please help.
SOS - SAVE OUR SOUTHWICK!
BRING HOME THE WICKERS!
In March 2020, after many years of sad and totally avoidable decline at its home ground, Old Barn Way, the former owner of Southwick Football Club surrendered the lease on it to the landlord Adur & Worthing District Council, who have since closed it due to health and safety issues.
The club has been reconstituted as a Community Interest Company by committed local people - with none of the former owners involved - the intention being to convert into a Community Amateur Sports Club in due course. Adult, under 18 and youth teams have been secured, with thirty-two club officials, managers and coaches in place in readiness for the new season.
Until recently the future was looking bright: a Director of Adur & Worthing District Council had confirmed that the Council were committed to ensuring that Southwick Football Club would continue to play at the ground once it was safe to do so. Subsequently Southwick FC made a formal offer to AWDC to obtain a temporary licence and make good the necessary repairs at their cost. The council have not responded to the offer.
AWDC hosted a Zoom meeting on 24 July involving the football club and three other organisations who have declared an interest in obtaining a lease at Old Barn Way. As a result of this meeting they intend to instruct agents to seek proposals from all interested parties. They have not been willing to guarantee that Southwick Football Club are assured of a return to Old Barn Way.
They have stated that regardless of the selection of the leaseholder, reserved use for 'affiliated' football and ‘Saferide’ will be a condition of selection of the future leaseholder. (‘Saferide’ is a motor cycle training company currently operating at the premises.)
The new Southwick Football Club (1882) CIC are making one simple demand of the Council: that the same condition guaranteeing the future of ‘Saferide’ be given to the football club. That regardless of who is granted the lease a precondition will be that Old Barn Way will continue to be the home of Southwick FC, the club which has played there for many decades, and until a recent sad decline enjoyed major success there at county football level and above.
Within the last few days it has been confirmed that there are debts owed by the former owners of the club. The rules of the Football Association require that all such debts are paid in full, secured or transferred to the new entity. This seeks to protect the integrity of the game by ensuring that a club does not gain a sporting advantage by not paying its debts and nevertheless retaining its position in the National League System.
The Southwick Football Club (1882) CIC totally endorse the reasons for this. We are not able to comply with the FA rule – we have no financial connection to the previous owners and are in no way responsible for the debts incurred by them - and regretfully must accept that the club cannot continue within the National League System for the forthcoming season.
The football management and current first team playing squad are fully committed to the Club at this crucial point in its 138 year history and the new, reborn Southwick FC will start again - at Intermediate level, playing at Buckingham Park - to comply with the regulations.
And we are hereby launching BRING HOME THE WICKERS! calling on AWDC to grant the club the right to return home to Old Barn Way the moment the ground improvements are completed, in order to rebuild our future and return to affiliated football ASAP.
Southwick FC was once one of the leading clubs in Sussex. We have won the County League many times, played in the Isthmian League and reached the first round of the FA Cup. The last years have been really difficult, but that era is now over and will never come back. We will return to happier times as a democratically-run, member-owned community club with a vibrant and enthusiastic youth section, ensuring a great future.
If you love grass roots football please support the campaign to
SAVE OUR SOUTHWICK and BRING HOME THE WICKERS
by emailing that simple statement to the officers of Adur & Worthing Council who are involved in the ground issue at present:
Cian Cronin, Head of Major Projects & Investment
cian.cronin@adur-worthing.gov.uk
Martin Randall, Director for the Economy
martin.randall@adur-worthing.gov.uk
Robert Crossan, Property & Investment Manager
robert.crossan@adur-worthing.gov.uk
Adrian Rice, Property Management Surveyor
adrian.rice@adur-worthing.gov.uk
And emailing the same to the local ward councillors for the Southwick area:
Stephen Chipp
stephen.chipp@adur.gov.uk
David Balfe
david.balfe@adur.gov.uk
Angus Dunn
angus.dunn@adur.gov.uk
Peter Metcalfe
peter.metcalfe@adur.gov.uk
David Simmons
david.simmons@adur.gov.uk
If you would like to be involved in the new Southwick Football Club (1882) CIC in any way please email Tony at tony.kybett@ntlworld.com
For media enquiries please contact Dan Gander
gooseydan@gmail.com 07850 218051
RELEASE ENDS
