Manchester Council’s £500,000 bail out for FC United's new stadium in Moston

 Source: North and East Manchester Advertiser

 Cash-strapped Manchester council has agreed to lend FC United up to £500,000 to build their controversial new ground.

Town hall chiefs stepped in after it emerged the club had failed to raise enough money to pay for the £4.5m stadium in Moston.

FC United planned to have generated £1.6m through a community share scheme towards the cost. But so far only £1.4m has been pledged by fans.

Now the council has stepped in with a promise to bridge the funding gap if the extra money is not raised.

The town hall will also cover any overspend, up to a limit of £500,000 – provided the club comes up with a ‘robust’ plan to pay the money back, with interest.

The promise comes on top of a £750,000 grant the council is already making towards the stadium. Council bosses stressed the money would be a loan, to be repaid in full, that would guarantee an ‘important’ development could go ahead.

Mike Patillo, who campaigned against the stadium, said: "I think it’s amazing that they can find half a million pounds when they’ve cut Sure Start budgets and they are closing down libraries."

The loan was agreed at a meeting of the town hall’s exectuve committee this week. Councillors also agreed to lease the club the land, on Ronald Johnson Playing Fields, for rent of £1 per year. FC United have made it clear they still want to raise the extra £200,000 themselves.

They have relaunched the community share scheme, which gives local people the chance to invest in the club. The stadium, which has proved highly divisive, was granted planning permission in October.

Mike Amesbury, the council’s executive member for culture and leisure, said: "Any loan to FC United would be at commercial rates, with interest, and not cost the council or council taxpayers a penny.

"What it would do is enable this important development to go ahead. The partnership between FC United and Moston Juniors, one of the largest junior football clubs in Manchester will create the basis for an excellent sporting hub in North Manchester. "

Andy Walsh, general manager of FC United, said: "The club welcomes the decision of the executive committee. There is still an outstanding grant from the Football Foundation to be processed.

"There is still a way to go but we are confident that we can raise the money needed to provide much-needed investment in Moston."

FC United stadium row turns into graffiti wars

 Source: North and East Manchester Advertiser

 Graffiti wars have broken out over FC United’s plans to build a new stadium.

Slogans have been daubed on walls across Moston both opposing and supporting the 5,000 capacity stadium.

Opposition to FC United’s plans has been mounting from residents concerned it will create parking chaos outside their homes.

But supporters of the site say it will create much-needed facilities for the area.

Both sides have condemned the graffiti.

One of the slogans daubed by people opposed to the scheme was ‘Love Glazer, Hate FC United.

And supporters of the plans have been using ‘reverse graffiti’ – blasting dirty walls with water using stencils – to write ‘M40 4FC’.

Moston Councillor Paul Murphy said: “Graffiti of any description is unacceptable.

“I condemn any graffiti from either side and will be reporting it to the council. I will make sure that the perpetrator is caught.”

Annette McGovern, from Residents United Residents’ Association, said: “We love our area and are totally opposed to graffiti of any sort.

“None of the members of RURA are responsible for it.”

The residents claim the stadium will devalue their homes and have mounted a major campaign against it. Plans for the 5,000 capacity stadium were submitted to Manchester council last week, and a decision is due to be taken in September.

Andy Walsh, general manager of FC United, said: “We condemn any graffiti at all no matter what form it takes.

“There has been a great deal of deliberate misinformation from the No campaign which has heightened anxieties in the area. We want to rectify that misinformation but this is not the right way to go about it.”

A Manchester council spokesman said: “We have never received a complaint about so-called reverse graffiti but will look carefully at any complaint and take appropriate action. All graffiti is detrimental to our neighbourhoods and we take a dim view of anyone involved in defacing property.”

Treble winners

May 29, 2009

FC UNITED of Manchester Youth completed a trophy treble last weekend when they defeated Middleton Colts in the final of the Manchester County Cup.

United, a team of players mainly based in north Manchester, had previously won the North West Premier Trophy and the North West Youth Cup.

Only Colts stood between them and another record-breaking season when they stepped onto the pitch at Ayreshire Road in Salford.

United had the majority of possession in a tense first half. They created a number of chances but were wasteful in front of goal.

Jamie Mack, Nick Swirad, Tony Iloba and Jack Lyons could have scored, but at the turn round it was still goal-less.

The second half was only two minutes old when Barry Davies picked up the ball at the back and fed Shaun Williams. He easily beat his marker and squared the ball to Toby Iloba who smashed it into the roof of the net.

That calmed nerves, and the Reds then dominated.

Shaun Williams again skinned his marker and squared the ball to Jamie Mack who hammered it home.

United goalkeeper Grant Shenton was a spectator for long periods, but he was called into action when Billy Sutcliffe let fly with a shot saved low down.

It became 3-0 when Williams crossed for Jack Lyons to tap in.

With seconds left Billy Sutcliffe scored a consolation goal for Colts.

Mack picked up the cup for the third time in three years, something that had never been done before.

The win was tinged with sadness, as this team will now be broken up, with most of the players over age next season.

From under 14s level to now they have won 17 trophies, at home and abroad.

United victory

May 15, 2009

FC UNITED of Manchester Youth took on the mighty Nantwich Town in the final of the North West Youth Alliance League’s Neil Thomason Memorial Trophy at Woodley Sports Centre.

United applied early pressure, and it paid off after five minutes when a flick on from John Buckley looped over the keeper for Josh Burke to knock into the net.

United stuck to their plan and drove forward in waves.

A superb John Buckley cross from the right was just too high for Jamie Mack, but Jake Haslam read it and nipped in front of his marker only to miss the target from close range.

Nick Swirad had a shot cleared, then a goalbound shot from Jack Lyons hit Jamie Mack on the line, Mack being unable to get out of the way.

It was all United, and keeper Grant Shenton was a virtual spectator until four minutes from half time when he made a top class save. Nantwich hit the bar from the resulting corner.

The second half was a struggle for United as Nantwich stepped up their game.

The pressure told with 12 minutes left, and it was all to play for.

United simply had to get back into the game, and they had a chance when awarded a penalty for handball. Mack took the kick, but the keeper went the right way to save.

Far from being down, United again raised their game, but only one minute was left when Mark Reeves whipped in a freekick to the near post for Jack Lyons to hook the ball into the net.