Crosby-based Marine FC ponders stadium move
Currently playing at the 2,200 capacity Rossett Park ground, named the Marine Travel Arena, the semi-professional football club has been eyeing up sites for relocation.
The club has just won promotion to the National League North, the sixth-tier of English football’s league pyramid, but its officials feel the limits of the current stadium could restrict future growth.
In a statement, the club’s chief executive officer James Leary said the decision to look at building a new stadium is part of a five-year plan which began in 2019, confirming their current ground, which is bordered by residential housing, would be retained as a community hub.
He said: “A crucial element of the plan was to future proof the potential upward movement of the club through the pyramid by removing the challenges posed at the current site.
“Accordingly, two years ago we embarked on a project to progress with the build of a new stadium.
“Our ideal aim is to retain the current Marine Travel Arena as a community hub, but build a new purpose-built stadium to enhance community sports and recreation facilities in the local area.
“Having our current stadium facility with one of the few 3G pitches in the Crosby area is something we do not want to lose. This is however funding dependent.”
Leary says the club needs to raise £5m to complete the development of a fresh venue, with 16 potential local sites for the stadium whittled down to three, having looked at their feasibility from a planning and construction perspective.
He added: “We have had fantastic support from the officers of Sefton Council. We are now at a critical stage where we are hoping to secure one of our land options over the coming months.
“The funding is key to making it happen along with getting agreement from the key people involved with us securing the land in the first place.”
The club has launched a kickstarter for anyone who can help with funding or support through donations towards the development.
don’t do it !!!
By Tannoy
Oh no. Where to? There’s nowhere in Crosby or Waterloo for a new stadium. Leave College Road and lose your soul!
By Roy
Please, don’t choose Chaffers! I struggle, otherwise, to identify three sites in Crosby that would accommodate a 5,000 seat stadium.
By More Anonymous than the others
Despite, breaking my heart when they beat Macclesfield FC in the play-off final earlier this month, I wish them well in the search for a site for new stadium.
By Silkman
Please don’t go. You’ve really started to help push on College Road over the last couple of years. Please please.
By Please Dont
Echoing others, there doesn’t appear to be any sites within the Crosby, Waterloo or Blundellsands areas to accommodate a new stadium unless they built on existing playing fields or ruined Highways England Rimrose Valley port road plan by building there.
Or they get a stadium shoved between Buckley Hill and the switch island link road, well away from train stations, bus stops, services etc.
By JohnMac
Hmmm… “Ideal aim” and “funding dependent” don’t inspire much confidence at this early about the future of College Road, “Community Hub” can mean just about anything from a scout hut upwards, and it must be a prime site for redevelopment.
It does leave it open to blame Sefton Council or external funding bodies if/when the numbers don’t add up and it has to be sold, and it isn’t as though there are many (any?) suitable sites for a new stadium near Crosby without setting up a Green Belt row…
By Rotringer
I can’t identify one site, let alone three. Baffling.
By Roy
Go to goodison or Bramley moor dock both may be available
By Anonymous
Lakeside is my choice,loads of land down there.Do you objectors want the club to move forward or stay in the 6th tier.
By Eddie
Eddie at 12.41 – By Lakeside, do you mean privatising a big chunk of the the much-used and in parts environmentally sensitive Coastal Park, with all the extra parking, access roads, food & beverage, as well as blocking the views out to the bay? You might do better trying to convince the Save Rimrose Valley people to let it go there…
By Marina
Move to Goodison 😅
By Al