Cricket club: It's Fulledge or bust

Club members last night gave the go-ahead to their directors to carry on negotiating on Burnley FC's multi-million pounds offer to buy the cricket ground and build a state-of-the-art new club on the council-owned Fulledge recreation ground -- together with a "substantial" cash lump sum to secure its future.

They did so after hearing that shackled with large loan debts, a big bank overdraft, "horrendous" overheads and fast-rising repair bills, the 170-year-old club could go out of business inside three years unless fortunes changed.

And they agreed an urgent task will be to win the support of Fulledge residents -- many presently hostile to the development of the fairground site.

An early meeting will be held with householders representatives who will be told the proposal will add rather than detract from the value of their homes, provide better parking facilities and a new children's playground on the Fulledge site. Residents will also be welcomed into the new club, with the offer of cut-price social membership of the new clubhouse social centre and the proposed indoor tennis court and possible bowling green facilities.

Chairman Arthur Young revealed the club had looked at alternative sites for the development but rejected them as unsuitable.

He said the deal would clear the club's debts and told doubters: "I know there is sentimentality about our tradition here.

"But tradition does not pay the bills -- we have to look to the future, not just the past.

"This will make Burnley Cricket Club's future secure for years and years."

Vice chairman John Heys told the 80 members present: "Our income is not paying the bills." And he warned: "If we continue to trade like this for two or three years, there will not be a Burnley Cricket Club." Mr Heys revealed the brewery loan had risen to around £35,000, the club had a bank overdraft of £7,500 and overheads were horrendous with the club needing to find £2,500-a-week to pay its way.

Necessary roof repairs would cost £20,000, dressing rooms were inadequate and income was falling.

"It is not viable to carry ion like we are," he declared.

Consultant surveyor Michael Westlake said the club had a wish list of what it wanted and it was going to get it from Burnley FC.

"This is going to cost them some serious money -- well into seven figures."

He declined to say what the "substantial" lump sum offer amounted to -- to divulge the figure would be inopportune were the deal to fall through, he said.

He warned there were many hurdles to clear before cricket could be played on the new ground and told members: "This is a complete package deal -- if it doesn't happen, you stay here."

Member Harry Brooks doubted that the project could be completed in the projected three years period.

He did not believe Burnley FC had the money to start funding the development at the moment and suggested the scheme may not come to fruition for possibly five or six years.

He said it would be the end of the story if the council decided not to sell the Fulledge site and the views of residents were crucial in what would be a political decision.

Long-standing member and former player John Richardson opposed the deal.

He said: "We re not getting any figures here. I think it is worth a lot more than they are offering -- I don't want the football club ripping us off," he said.

Burnley FC today joined the campaign to win over residents -- by saying all views will be considered and inviting them to be put in writing to the club.

In a press statement the club says the aim of trhe proposal would be "to end up with a pleasant cricket ground, with landscaping to improve what is currently not a well-kept area".

And Clarets' bosses say they will also help find an alternative site the annual funfair -- suggesting one of the club's car parks could be a possible venue.