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Gresley Rovers are aiming for the Football League with the announcement today of a planning application for a new stadium – just a stone’s throw from the Moat Ground.
Rovers aim to quit the ground that has been their home since 1906 for an ultra-modern stadium on the site of a former pottery.Commercial director Frank McArdle said today: “We believe this application, if given the go ahead, will secure the club’s future in the pyramid of non-league football.”
Current shirt sponsor Hepworth Plc owns the site of the proposed new ground and, subject to planning permission, would make land available under a wider scheme including housing, roads and recreation areas.
To be called the New Moat Ground, the stadium would initially have a capacity of 6,000 with scope for expansion up to10,000 and would meet GM Vauxhall Conference standards, with most of the accommodation covered.
The club has yet to finalise details of the project pending a meeting with the ground designers but envisage a 400 seater stand along with a relocated existing stand and floodlight from the current Moat Ground.
The club’s supporters will be given opportunity to take part in the project, with McArdle stressing: “Details will be given at the start of the new season of ways that people can get involved.”
Gresley boss Steve Dolby today welcomed the new ground announcement, saying: “It just shows how forward looking the club is.”
Now Dolby aims to build a side to match the planned new stadium.
“The directors are very ambitious and looking to make the club into a major non-league force. I’ve got to provide a team that’s capable of fulfilling those ambitions and I’m relishing the challenge.”
And the Moat supremo reckons the switch from Moat Street will make his team-building ambitions easier to fulfil.
“This will undoubtedly help with attracting the best players to the club. If you’re going to be playing at one of the best non-league grounds in the Midlands that’s got to be an attraction. We’ve already shown we can attract big crowds and if this plan comes in reality. I’m sure we’ll be able to attract even bigger crowds.
“That will mean a bigger turnover for the club financially and that’s got to be good for me.”
