Latics chairman Simon Corney has suggested that football will not take place at Boundary Park next season after the collapse of the plans for a new stadium. He said, “I am afraid the writing is on the wall for us. What else is there for us in Oldham? A brand new stadium on the Boundary Park site is just not an option - nobody is coming along with £20 million with which to build it. I have been in contact with a whole host of other organisations - no avenue is off limits. What I refuse to do is put the club into administration.”
“Of course fans will be angry at some of the decisions we have taken regarding the current ground but we have taken all of these with the best of intentions - a new permanent home with improved facilities - but it has not been enough to secure a long-term future for the club in Oldham. Do we really want to go through this whole process again and again in Oldham - £35,000 for plans here, £20,000 for environmental reports there and what for - all for nothing, just bills, bills and more bills.”
Corney was so sickened with the affair that he did not go to Saturday's game with Dagenham and Redbridge. He said, “I feel personally shattered. I am not looking for sympathy but I just cannot face coming to the town at the weekend and that is sad because the new-look team under Paul Dickov is doing fantastically well. I just feel that I have to stay away from the club and the town and reflect on how I deal with this from here on.”
“I am totally devastated, but not suprised and it is a case of deja vu. For whatever reason we cannot make progress. I believe Oldham Council want a new stadium, but I don't think they are capable of helping us to deliver it. We are considering our options in the light of the ruling, but feel we have been badly misled. I am not spitting out by dummy. I just want the best for the club and for the fans.”
“We can't keep playing at Boundary Park which is an old, dilpadated stadium in which less and less people are coming through the doors. The ground ought to be have been demolished 10 years ago, and here we are still talking about moving. It was not long ago that Stockport County were an established Championship club and now they are staring at relegation to non-league football.”