Broadhurst Park update - March 2015

It is disappointing and frustrating that the build programme has slipped again. By now we had all hoped to be in the ground and playing matches. Members were given a detailed project update at the members’ meeting on 4 March 2015 when we reported that we have encountered some delays to the completion of the build.

In the last few weeks we have completed the steel work that joins the south (main) stand with the St Mary’s Road End stand. The artificial turf pitch and the grass pitches of the Ronald Johnson Playing Fields to the south of the site have now been handed over to FC United of Manchester. These pitches will come into use once the full site is handed over.

In the main building most of the flooring, lighting and plumbing work has been completed, with largely just the ’snagging’ and ’second fit’ items remaining. The lifts are in and commissioned as is the kitchen area, paid for by our magnificent Crowdfunder campaign. The bar is fitted.

We have started to install the crush barriers in the SMRE. The roof is on; the block work is 50% complete and the timber cladding to the rear of the stand is well under way. This stand is being constructed by FC United of Manchester and is outwith the man contract with Thomas Barnes and Sons. FC supporters and volunteers have been assisting with the completion of the works, saving the club both time and money as we near the long-awaited completion of this element of the build. Whilst it is disappointing that the entire build is not yet finished, we remain focused on the earliest possible completion of the project. The FC United board and our project team are meeting the contractors weekly and our staff are on site every day pushing the build along.

Reaching the community shares target of £2m demonstrates the commitment of our members and serves to show what can be achieved by ordinary football fans. The final build cost will be in excess of £6m. We have been advised that if procured today the total cost of the project would be in excess of £8m. When we move into the ground and members and supporters see the facility at first hand, we are confident that the wait will have been worthwhile.

There is no apology for continuing to ask for additional funds to enable us to complete the build. We still need to raise more than £200,000 over the course of the next 12 months. Nobody should feel pressured to give what they cannot afford. Broadhurst Park is ours. Paid for by funds that we have raised by our own efforts and backed by external funders who have been inspired by the vision and dynamism of supporters.

The enthusiasm and commitment of supporters to their football club is an untapped resource within the game. Those who run the game in this country and the big business interests that feed off it understand that enthusiasm and commitment. They pay lip service to it in their marketing but in reality they are only interested in exploiting it for either personal or commercial gain. By contrast supporter ownership respects and values supporters’ energy and resourcefulness and channels it into strengthening individual clubs, local communities and the game we all care so much about.