Football club's anger as council revamp causes pitch to get waterlogged

Published on Friday 13 March 2009 08:49

A JUNIOR football club could be forced to move from its home ground after nearly 100 years because a council revamp means their pitch is often unplayable.

Tranent Junior Football Team gave up the deeds to Foresters Park, its home since the club's formation in 1911, when its pavilion was destroyed by fire in 2003 and East Lothian Council led a redevelopment.

A new stand and changing facilities, plus two new five-a-side pitches and a basketball court were created and efforts were made to level off the pitch, which for nearly a century lay on a slope, and install a new drainage system

However, according to club manager Brian Johnston, far from improving the playing surface, the levelling of the park leaves the pitch waterlogged by the slightest bit of moisture, rendering the park "unfit for purpose".

Mr Johnston added: "We have had the park assessed by an independent expert who told us that the drains are too far apart and were not working, and as a result the grass has been absolutely drained of nutrients and has turned yellow.

"As a result we've had to play our home games away from home at any facilities we can find. Unfortunately, there's only one council pitch in Tranent which costs 40 a time, and we've got three clubs to fit in – under-17s, under-19s and under-21s.

"Hibs were looking to charge us 180 to play at their training facilities, while the facilities at somewhere like Ross High can cost 100 a time."

The clubs main sources of income comes from gate receipts, sponsored boards around the park and matchday sponsors.

However, without regular games at their home ground there is little money coming in, but a lot of money going out in finding alternative facilities.

Mr Johnston added: "Our experts think it's going to cost over 40,000 to fix the drainage on the park, and a small club like ours can't afford to raise that kind of expenditure on our own so we have to rely on the council to give us the money."

"It may sound drastic, but unless our request is approved by the council we may be forced to leave Foresters for good."

An East Lothian Council spokeswoman confirmed that discussions are now under way to address the drainage problem at the park.

She added: "Tranent Juniors asked for a meeting to discuss mainly the pitch condition and some other issues."