Sports Park 2006?

Last updated : 24 September 2003 By The Chairman

Potential investors in Athletic are looking at the prospect of building a new stadium for the club with a scheme similiar to the ill fated Sports Park 2000 which eventually fell through. The scheme would include a 20,000 seater stadium as the investors see development as the only potential idea of recouping any possible up front expenses which will be required to see the Latics through the immediate future. The plan would be to use Boundary Park as a retail park or office complex with the new facilities being ready for the 2006/7 season. If there is no money for wages at the end of the month, Athletic could be shut down for good.

Administrator Jon Newell said, “Looking at a stadium makes sense because you will never make money from the football side of things at Oldham Athletic. You might break even, but that’s no sort of return on the £1million-plus you would have to find very quickly. At the same time, it’s no use making extravagant plans when the funding isn’t in place to cover losses for October. Fundamentally, Oldham Athletic should not go on trading for another month when it can’t find the money to pay staff.”

“We are trying to get that reality through and I’m finding it frustrating – the funding must be available shortly but people are cutting it fine. It’s possible we could unite someone with short-term funds and someone else with longer-term capabilities. But, of course, if you’re the short-term funder you want full involvement further down the line.”

It’s no understatement that a buyer must be found by the end of the month, or at least someone to commit to buying, or our deepest fears could be realised - no more Oldham Athletic.