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Wivenhoe Town locked out of its Broad Lane group over rent dispute

10:00am Thursday 11th March 2010


A FOOTBALL club’s future is in doubt after they got the red card from using their home ground.

The trust which manages Wivenhoe Town’s Broad Lane base has locked up the gates and claims it is owed £10,000 in rent.

The cash-strapped side could face eviction from the Ridgeons League if they fail to fulfil fixtures, and will possibly even face extinction if they are left homeless in the long term.

Officials had to hastily postpone last night’s reserve team match and the club has only ten days to try to resolve the dispute, before their next home first team game on March 20.

The rent row is between the club and Wivenhoe and District Sporting Facilities Trust, which was put in charge of managing Broad Lane when Colchester Council bought it in 1996. The trust collects rent to pass on to the council from Wivenhoe Town and three other tenants – Wivenhoe Tennis Club, Tempest Football Club and Wivenhoe Youth Football Club.

However, Wivenhoe Town first team manager Mo Osman says the row is abour red tape, rather than the club being in the red at the bank. He said he understood the club had not been paying its bill of £3,500-a-year, as the figure was not legally stipulated in its contract, and lawyers had advised the board it should not pay until an amount was legally agreed.

He said talks were ongoing to determine what the fee should be. Mr Osman said: “All this has been under discussion for two or three years, but now the trust has resorted to underhand tactics.

“There is no court order or eviction notice. It has no more legal force than if we were to get in there tomorrow and change back again.

“If it was all legally settled and we had to pay them £10,000, we would pay it, but this just seems like bullying.”

Andrew Nightingale, chairman of the sporting facilities trust, said Wivenhoe Town was given a “rent holiday” which helped it keep going when it was in financial trouble last year.

He added: “Provided we meet the rental payments to Colchester Borough Council, then the future of the site as a community facility is secure.

“We are very pleased Wivenhoe Town Football Club survived last season and that the rent contribution holiday the trust helped them do this.

“However, the subsequent failure of Wivenhoe Town Football Club to provide us with either a budget or a repayment plan which demonstrates the club’s viability is deeply disappointing. ”

Mr Nightingale added: “We haven’t done anything that we understand to be illegal.”


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Your Say YourColchester

RitchieHicks, Newtown says...
10:16am Thu 11 Mar 10

Can't they do a deal with Colchester United and use the 'community' stadium?

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wonky, Wivenhoe says...
10:51am Thu 11 Mar 10

Locking the gates also stops numerous community and private functions organised by the people of Wivenhoe and the surrounding area. Weddings, Birthday parties, ladies nights, a toddler / mothers morning exercise class. What a wonderful community spirit this so called trust has displayed - what about the community!

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wonky, Wivenhoe says...
10:51am Thu 11 Mar 10

Locking the gates also stops numerous community and private functions organised by the people of Wivenhoe and the surrounding area. Weddings, Birthday parties, ladies nights, a toddler / mothers morning exercise class. What a wonderful community spirit this so called trust has displayed - what about the community!

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Green and Gold, says...
11:19am Thu 11 Mar 10

I wondered why the Glazier family have been quiet for the past few weeks. Congratulations the Glazier’s, I mean the Sporting Trust and the Trustees, who are proud to say they are there to support the community. You hide behind your own failings only to blame those who have worked hard over the years to keep a club going and for whom you denied to help secure the ground for long term investment to be made. You say you care about the club so why don’t you get the Council to sign the Lease over to them, that way you won’t have to worry about it and the club will be there for the benefit of our kids and their kids to come. Help the club secure the ground and let the investors return unfettered by your involvement as you have let the community down now for over 15 years. You have now had your fifteen minutes of fame, now is the time to show you care and let the club pay the Council the rent from now on and you can go back to your gardening.

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Green and Gold, says...
11:24am Thu 11 Mar 10

Further to Mr Nightingale's subjective view that they have not done anything illegal, that is a matter of opinion Mr Nightingale, one could start by saying that you have stolen a community asset away from the people of wivenhoe, in some sense this is like theft. You should recall that it was the people of Wivenhoe that rallied to raise over £30,000 to help buy the ground.

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moosman, Colchester says...
11:27am Thu 11 Mar 10

The club has a facebook page now.

Please search Save Wivenhoe Town Football Club on facebook and join our group to show your support.

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moosman, Colchester says...
11:35am Thu 11 Mar 10

can we clarify who is responsible for maintaining the ground?

As the trust was formed 16 years ago and I have not seen much maintaining....

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Green and Gold, says...
11:55am Thu 11 Mar 10

The Head Lease states it is the responsibility of the Trust. However, like our efforst to bring them to account have been ignored, so to has their duty under the Head Lease. Brilliant, so much for accountability. The Lease also says the public can hire the ground, can theylety me know how much it is as I may want to book it for the next two months.

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moosman, Colchester says...
12:28pm Thu 11 Mar 10

Just to make people fully aware.

They have not jus closed the doors on one team, but hundreds of players aged 4 +.

We have a link to with the youth teams that if they win 3 games on the trot they play the next game in the ground.

Hopefully we can get this sorted asap as the The under 13's at Wivenhoe Youth are due to play next week, I would hate to tell the manager to tell the players that its not going to happen.

This would be very sad, we are told to get the kids of the streets and give them a goal and purpose in life. The club has worked so hard to forge this links over the past year.

This is not just about football, this is about bringing people together to do something they enjoy and gain the life skills that will remain with them forever.

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moosman, Colchester says...
12:31pm Thu 11 Mar 10

Green and Gold

So they are responsible because they hold the lease?

Otherwise anyone who plays there and invest there own money would be like decorating somebody elses house, until the trust decide to break the locks and lock them out.

I hope that makes sense

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Green and Gold, says...
12:35pm Thu 11 Mar 10

Moosman, it should also be noted that should another entity take over the site, the chances of affordable, and sometimes free opportunites to play football will be lost. As you rightly state, the actions of the trust have not just hurt the adults in all this, but the kids who will one day have nowhere locally to play. The community gave so much money to have the facilities remain, why are they now being ignored? The open meeting last night confirmed that the Wivenhoe people donated over £30,000 in order for the Council to purchase the land and they are now being frozen out, why? Why will someone from the council not step in and answer the questions and bring the trust to account. This is our own Watergate and the truth will come out.

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Cuthbert, Alresford says...
12:48pm Thu 11 Mar 10

Looks like decent bolt cutters might solve the problem in the short term.

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wonky, Wivenhoe says...
1:01pm Thu 11 Mar 10

Are the council going to take the responsability out of the hands of this trust and put the facility back in the hand of the community where it belongs. How can the actions of a few self elected trustees lock out a whole community.

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harveyboy, Wivenhoe says...
1:14pm Thu 11 Mar 10

Council what council,where are they when you need them?
Certainly couldn't see any batting for the club at last night's meeting!
It seems like the University of Essex are interested in obtaining the ground?

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RitchieHicks, Newtown says...
1:26pm Thu 11 Mar 10

harveyboy wrote:
Council what council,where are they when you need them?
Certainly couldn't see any batting for the club at last night's meeting!
It seems like the University of Essex are interested in obtaining the ground?
Oh really? I wonder what they might have in store for that lovely bit of land. Call me cunical but you could get quite a few flats on that pitch.

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circa, wivenhoe says...
1:40pm Thu 11 Mar 10

why is it the council never get involved on these things, the community that they are set up to serve are being bullied and they are no where to be seen

There are questions that need to be answered!

Im so angry I cannot talk!

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margaretm, Colchester says...
1:42pm Thu 11 Mar 10

Why are the council taking a back seat on this and using the trustees as bully boys!! Nice bit of land ..ideal for another superstore,houses etc come on you vote seeking councillers make yourself known or are you to occupied ringing potholes !!

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Sdapeze, sdapeze@aol.com says...
1:59pm Thu 11 Mar 10

It sounds here as if the football club are expecting charity. They have paid any rent for three years and now they have been called to account they are complaining. Freeloaders like this need to be dealt with severely. They are living off the kindness of others.

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moosman, Colchester says...
2:16pm Thu 11 Mar 10

Have you been down the ground lately? kindness of others what are you on about.

Who do you think has been running the club for the past 75 years?

and anyone that ran the club prior to the present people in charge did so under the guidance of the trust.

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jeremycuthbert, Wivenhoe says...
2:29pm Thu 11 Mar 10

I dont think its fair to use the children as a plea for help in this one, the 4 year olds up to under 16s are looked after by Wivenhoe youth and this will not be closing down!! yes the grounds a state and the team are very poor, one of the worst that i can remember but maybe they should be given the chance to continue trading if they pay the outstanding debt? but doesnt matter whatever happens you have to pay your landlords!!

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moosman, Colchester says...
2:43pm Thu 11 Mar 10

The chidlren is not a cry for help but is a fact that they do use the ground , just making everyone aware of the bigger picture, alot of work has gone into building relations between the club and the youth. i.e school holiday programmes with the required use of the club house.

Im afraid you will only undetstand this if you and if you speak to the children.

I agree always pay the landlord, but only if you owe it, the cheque offered was under subject to the clubs right to proceed with legal action for clarification.

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Voter99, England says...
2:59pm Thu 11 Mar 10

Why are the Wivenhoe's borough and county councillors so quite on this issue?

Any truth in the rumour that the site is being ear-marked for a housing development.

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jeremycuthbert, Wivenhoe says...
3:16pm Thu 11 Mar 10

Childrens courses are run at many local locations so im not sure thats a massive issue here, other than for the person who makes the money out of it, but i agree with the functions point, people who have booked parties etc have been hard done by here, not so much the football club

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moosman, Colchester says...
3:40pm Thu 11 Mar 10

Difficult to make arguements on here for legal reasons, but unless the facts are all known, then feel free to have an opinion.

Keep an eye on our web site and feel free to come down to the next meeting.

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moosman, Colchester says...
3:40pm Thu 11 Mar 10

Difficult to make arguements on here for legal reasons, but unless the facts are all known, then feel free to have an opinion.

Keep an eye on our web site and feel free to come down to the next meeting.

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wonky, Wivenhoe says...
3:50pm Thu 11 Mar 10

The junior dragons use the facilities...
weddings cancelled. mother and toddler groups are homeless..
and the youth pulled out of the trust last night through their disgust of the trusts actions.

50% of the organisations have left the trust as well as trustees resigning from the trust.

The football club are not alone here.. something doesnt add up.

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circa, wivenhoe says...
4:06pm Thu 11 Mar 10

I hear the University American Football team are to use the ground as there new home pitch - is this true?

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moosman, Colchester says...
4:32pm Thu 11 Mar 10

Circa this has been mentioned as there had a reprsentative at the trsut meeting showing a big interest on Tuesday night

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Sdapeze, sdapeze@aol.com says...
6:33pm Thu 11 Mar 10

You have to pay your rent. It is a simple fact of life. That is the way that it works. Only when the rent is paid can you enjoy the facilities. If you didn't intend to pay the rent you shouldn't sign the contract.

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moosman, Colchester says...
7:00pm Thu 11 Mar 10

Im just s football manager here and trying to save a football club, with a history.

So regarding contracts and the facts we can only attend meetings to find out the real facts.

But the major factor for me is football and I have only been at the club for 5 months and certainly do hope that its not just a case of its the end.

If it is if it was about the rent, the full amount has been offered, but it has been refused, do the trust really want to save the club? It just doesnt add up.

Do we want a Wivenhoe Town FC or not?

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JAY.L.S, colchester says...
10:55pm Thu 11 Mar 10

Sdapeze, sdapeze@aol.com says...
6:33pm Thu 11 Mar 10

You have to pay your rent. It is a simple fact of life. That is the way that it works. Only when the rent is paid can you enjoy the facilities. If you didn't intend to pay the rent you shouldn't sign the contract.

If you look at the contract it says for the club to make a contrabution towards the rent it does't state an exact percentages or amount that we have to pay, so when we go to pay amount that we can afford its not the club, team or communitys fault the trustees decide to not accept what we can afford is it?

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moosman, Colchester says...
11:05pm Thu 11 Mar 10

As I said contracts are not my department, but trying to save a club with history is.

I have only been involved in the club for a short time but I certainly do not want it to be shut down.

I dont really know all the facts or figures but what I do know is I want the club to exist. so who ever you may be (obvious who I am) and obviously you seem to know a bit more than me about the figures.

Do you live in Wivenhoe? Do you support the club? do you not want the club to survive? can you help it survive?

This is about football for me, what is in it for you?

Feel free to name your self

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Cuthbert, Alresford says...
12:12am Fri 12 Mar 10

I've no idea who Sdapeze is, but I know he'd be very easy to contact, as I've seen his good work on another forum, regarding Colchester's history, so he's not really hiding himself.

His point is valid. This rent issue has been going on for three years and only when it's become critical does an issue seem to have been made of it.

There are too many double standards in football, whereby people are happy to take more money out of the game than is sustainable, yet bleat when the **** hits the fan. It seems to happen at all levels, above and including semi-professional. They then cite football as being a special case, which is somehow above financial constraints and is a more emotional thing. Avram Grant did this recently.

Personally I think Burnley are a breath of fresh air. More should follow their example.

While I hope that Wivenhoe can carry on unscathed, I hope the rent issue is not a smokescreen for them having lived beyond their means. I hope Mr. Dicks wasn't paid a lot of money for instance?

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moosman, Colchester says...
7:13am Fri 12 Mar 10

The question is the same not matter what has happened the poiint is would you like the club to survive? the current people have the club have worked very hard just to make sure football can be played at the ground for the past year.
If you don't want the football club just say "you dont want it". It's a matter of opinion and we are all allowed one.

I want the club to survive, the question is do you?

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go dragons, Wivenhoe says...
9:53am Fri 12 Mar 10

I wish the facts would hurry up and come out about this. I refer to the real story that both the Trust and the Wivenhoe chairman aren’t telling us. These are the following. An attempted landgrab has taken place; and it is not the one that affects our beloved Dragons. All of the last season our Dragon’s Chairman has had a business plan to put right our financial woes. In short the goal has been to gain control of the 2 youth clubs at Broad Lane: these are Wivenhoe Youth and Tempest. Between them these clubs tenant the 6 pitches outside of the Dragon’s stadium and gross nearly £50,000 per annum. When simply inviting these clubs to join us stalled the plan was to discredit the Trust by claiming it to be an illegitimate body; this is why we complained about them to the police and the Charities Commission and why haven’t paid any rent and broke off communication with them for months. The hope was the trust would fold and the Council would give the Dragons the leases for all of Broad Lane. We could then either absorb the youth clubs or evict them and gain control over 350 juniors, all the pitches and of course the £50,000 a year. This was how the future of our Dragons was to be ensured. Here is why we have gone into youth football with our under 9s. Of course this gamble perpetrated in our names hasn’t paid off as the Trust didn’t just roll over and go away. This is also why the Council has no sympathy for us. These are the facts whether or not our Chairman admits to them.

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turns, colchester says...
10:06am Fri 12 Mar 10

Cuthbert & Sdapeze
if you have read the newspaper and other online debates about WTFC Vs THE TRUST. you will see that not once have WTFC said they can not afford to pay the rent, all WTFC are asking for is proof of how much they are expected to pay.
Have you both read the lease agreement on the WTFC website ??

it clearly states - WTFC must make a contribution.

If someone said to you , to live in your houses you have to make a contribution BUT we want £4000 would you pay it or question it ????

then when you ask to see proof they close up and dont show you wouldnt you seek legal advice . .

Anyway we all want to see WTFC continue to play their football @ Broad Lane - -

YES or NO ?

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Green and Gold, says...
5:14pm Fri 12 Mar 10

can somebody expalin why my posts have somehow dissapeared, was it because the truth was too hard to take?

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wivunited, Wivenhoe says...
8:47pm Fri 12 Mar 10

Green & Gold, some of mine have disappeared too!! I reckon the Gazette are working with the council and the uni nightingale chap....this is called LANDGRAB and is illegal. they need to be stopped.

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bladesxl, Colchester says...
2:37pm Wed 17 Mar 10

@ Circa & Moosman on Thu 11th: the Uni American Football Team are not involved with Broad Lane and would not be at all interested in the site.

The Colchester community American Football Club; Colchester Gladiators use the ground for their home fixtures during the summer months. It's committee are exploring the possibility of taking over the lease as one option for ensuring their own home fixtures which have been jeapordised by the current proceedings. They have no affiliation to the University.

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Locked - the gates to the ground Locked - the gates to the ground


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