FROM THE PRESIDENT OF NORTHWICH VICTORIA FC

DEREK NUTTALL

The attached are presented for your perusal and comments, they are not written on behalf of the OWNERor NORTHWICH VICTORIA FC, they are my own offering as President. I know that very difficult decisions have to be made over the next month or two but I feel that as President I should try and open up the dialogue. My views are obviously somewhat biased, but I have tried to express a possible way forward. I cannot express too strongly the trauma that our supporters are facing, they can see no light at the end of the tunnel. I speak for the SILENT MAJORITY of whom there are many, they have no voice, I make this appeal, NORTHWICH is a superb town in its own way, its football team in the past has helped to put it on the NATIONAL MAP please give this historic football club hope.

I have tried to give below an accurate account of events leading up to the present situation, a history of the Drill Field and Victoria Stadium, Northwich Victoria FCs previous homes, and concluded with some practical suggestions for how a great deal of the infrastructure could be practically re-used at another location for the good of the community. This is based on my experience as a former structural engineer and on my first-hand knowledge of construction at our two former grounds.

Derek Nuttall President, Northwich Victoria FC

NORTHWICH VICTORIA FC
As President of NORTHWICH VICTORIA FC I have had to stand by and watch the Club I have supported all my life, trying to destroy itself from within. As a Supporter, my only wish has been to see the Club try to play good, entertaining football, have the best facilities possible, and aim to play at the highest level of Non-League football. Since the emergence of the computer, with its access for everyone to express their views, it has become harder in some instances for Club Chairmen/Owners, Club Administrators, to achieve success. Constructive criticism is usually helpful, destructive criticism can slowly cause the disintegration of a Club, and crucially its supporters . Since I started supporting the Club over 70 years ago, there have been huge changes in football, but one thing that has not changed is the Club Supporter, then as now it was the Club that I supported not the people who ran the Club. Over 70 plus years, I have seen many Club Chairmen/ Owners, Directors come and go, I was a Chairman and Director for many years myself and was criticized on many occasions, some of it was justified, but I dont think any of it was malicious. The computer has changed all that, every Chairman/Owners make mistakes and now are more vulnerable to criticism. Criticise, but do not vilify. The Football Manager and the team have no part to play in what goes on off the field, every game they play this season is an away one, they desperately need supporters to back them. NORTHWICH VICTORIA FC need a home in NORTHWICH, all bodies should be concentrating their time and efforts and energies on trying to achieve this. Search the area for land to build a COMMUNITY STADIUM, there is land there but it has to be obtained. The SILENT MAJORITY who support the VICS are helpless without a leadership to give them some hope. All football club CHAIRMEN/ OWNERS, DIRECTORS come and go, the FOOTBALL CLUB has to live on. There is only one way forward SUPPORT YOUR CLUB, NORTHWICH VICTORIA FC (The VICS)

Derek Nuttall President NORTHWICH VICTORIA FC Friday 24 August 2012

NORTHWICH VICTORIA FC
In view of the decision of CHESHIRE WEST AND CHESTER planning committee to grant permission to THOR CHEMICALS to develop the VICTORIA STADIUM site, I respectfully bring to the attention of the various bodies involved, a partial history of events leading to the construction of the VICTORIA STADIUM. My reason for submitting this account is to try and make sure the various bodies involved have some KEY facts in their possession when making their decisions, after deliberations with THOR CHEMICALS on infrastructure and monetary matters relating to the VICTORIA STADIUM.I understand that SPORT ENGLAND have input, and need certain assurances. Having read the local press report (25 July 2012), I understand that there was no representative of NORTHWICH VICTORIA FC at the meeting. As PRESIDENT of NORTHWICH VICTORIA FC I would have been more than happy to attend the meeting, but was not aware of same until Wednesday 18th July 2012 when I read about it in the local press, I assumed that the Club Board were aware of the meeting. Before commencing the HISTORY, a few facts about the implications involved in NORTHWICH VICTORIA FC losing their HOME should be pointed out. Since THOR CHEMICALS purchase of the STADIUM the Club have had to find a temporary ground to play all its HOME matches, for the new 2012/2013 season. The Club have to play all their HOME matches at STAFFORD RANGERS FC over 40 miles, a round trip of 80 plus miles. The SUPPORTERS of this once great NON-LEAGUE club deserve better, consideration should be shown in the forthcoming discussions on the Clubs future. NORTHWICH VICTORIA FC has over its 140-years history put the town of NORTHWICH on the nationwide map.

HISTORY
The VICTORIA STADIUM was built as a necessity, to fulfill the then ground criteria of the FOOTBALL CONFERENCE PREMIER LEAGUE of which the club was a member. At the time, a ground capacity of 6000 was required to gain promotion to the FOOTBALL LEAGUE. This requirement was based on the whole conception of the FOOTBALL CONFERENCE being the only stepping stone for promotion to the FOOTBALL LEAGUE, the whole PYRAMID of FOOTBALL aim is that every club can reach its own ambition to get to the very top. To gain admission to the FOOTBALL CONFERENCE, their rule has to be met whereby if the Club wins the title or second position they accept admission to the FOOTBALL LEAGUE. The clubs original ground, THE DRILL FIELD, was reputed to be the oldest football ground in the WORLD, where football had been played continuously by one club, so the decision to build a new stadium was very emotive. The DRILL FIELD site, despite only recently being redeveloped with a new 3000-plus DANEBANK covered terrace, was increasingly being subjected to ground safety inspections.The older parts of the ground i.e the terraces, were finally sterilised, leaving only the DANEBANK covered terrace and the MAIN GRANDSTAND (Capacity 600) usable for spectators. This gave a capacity of 3,600, to redevelop the sterilised areas would have cost a considerable amount of money that the club did not have.

The Club consulted the Planning Department of VALE ROYAL BOROUGH COUNCIL as to the hypothetical case if the ground was vacated by the football club, to what use it would be put. The club were informed that housing would probably be the main consideration.The Club had previously been approached by a developer who was enquiring reference the possibility of purchasing the site and relocating the club. Eventually this all fell through due partly to planning difficulties with access and some talk of a bridge over the River Dane. The Board of Directors at that time knew that developers would be interested in buying the DRILL FIELD, a decision was made to put the proposition of a new stadium to the shareholders and supporters, all the facts and figures were put to a meeting held in the main grandstand, a vote was taken and found in favour of building a new stadium. A developer was eventually found, a price negotiated and planning commenced. I was given the task of trying to find a suitable site for the stadium, driving past the end of Wincham Avenue I noticed a sign advertising land for sale, I decided to drive into Wincham Avenue and was amazed to find at the end a large expanse of what looked like wasteland, there were a number of mature trees and bushes but it looked to be an ideal site for a stadium. THOR CHEMICALS had adjacent land, development had not started. To move forward, I negotiated with the agent Barry Peake, who I understand was an agent for CHESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL who owned the land. The final deal was made in the boardroom of WITTON ALBION FC, in the presence of Jim Rafferty, an NVFC Director, the price agreed was FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND POUNDS plus THIRTY THOUSAND POUNDS for entrance to the site off the Wincham Avenue roundabout. The area of the land bought was 9 acres After having assurances from VALE ROYAL BOROUGH COUNCIL PLANNING DEPARTMENT that the DRILL FIELD site was a suitable area for housing, we thought that it would be a straight forward decision for the Developer when they submitted their plans. In the end, the development was turned down by the planning committee, this decision led to a PUBLIC ENQUIRY which took 10 months, the enquiry favouring the developer. Eventually this delay cost NORTHWICH VICTORIA FC, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND POUNDS. This figure can be validated if necessary, it has never been revealed to my knowledge how much the PUBLIC ENQUIRY cost VALE ROYAL BOROUGH COUNCIL. In the meantime, the Club had arranged a ground share with WITTON ALBION FC for one season whilst the new stadium was being built. As we were in the FOOTBALL CONFERENCE PREMIER LEAGUE, certain works had to be done to WITTON ALBION FCs ground to satisfy the FOOTBALL CONFERENCE ground criteria. This work cost THIRTY THOUSAND POUNDS. The PUBLIC ENQUIRY and other factors eventually meant spending 3 seasons at WITTON ALBION FC. Our stay at WITTON ALBION FC was very amicable, and our Club was grateful for their help and consideration. The Club at this time had 3 different issues to handle. 1 2 3 The DRILL FIELD was being demolished by the developer. The Club was ground sharing at WITTON ALBION FC. The New Stadium was being constructed.

Issue 1 was a complicated matter, on the DANEBANK side of the DRILL FIELD, the Club had constructed a new 3000 plus covered terrace. Towards the cost of this structure, the Club had received a grant of TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND POUNDS from THE FOOTBALL FOUNDATION. Against some peoples advice, the Club decided to dismantle the structure and rebuild it at the new stadium. It was felt that this would save a considerable amount of money. This was a major logistic matter, but the Club co-ordinated the dismantling, transporting and re-erection at the new stadium and the terrace became popular at the new stadium. All the past planning problems had now put the Club under severe financial strain, the Club had obtained a FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND POUND grant from the FOOTBALL FOUNDATION, but this money was only available as work progressed and had to be strictly cost controlled by the Club. The money received from the developer for the sale of the DRILL FIELD came into the equation and a bridging loan to cover the cost of completing the stadium was not forthcoming from the bank. To complete the stadium, further finance was urgently needed. A businessman had shown an interest in buying the Club, providing the necessary finance to keep the Club in the FOOTBALL CONFERENCE PREMIER LEAGUE and complete the building of the stadium. The main infrastructure was already in place, i.e. the Main Seated Stand Structure and Admin. Block also the DANEBANK TERRACE. After very lengthy negotiations, the prospective owner agreed to buy the Club, but it meant that the Club had to go into Administration. The new owner then bought the Club at a bargain price. The owner completed the stadium and it was opened by Sir Alex Ferguson on 30th November 2006. The owner , after a couple of years, encountered severe financial problems, and eventually sold on the Club to Jim Rushe who is the current owner. People at the Club ie SUPPORTERS, knew that Jim Rushe was trying to buy the Stadium, it came as a complete shock when THOR CHEMICALS were declared as buyers. When the Club first occupied the VICTORIA STADIUM, they were members of the FOOTBALL CONFERENCE PREMIER LEAGUE the top-tier in non-league football. Since then, they have been demoted to the FOOTBALL CONFERENCE NORTH, then to the EVOSTIK NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE, and finally now to the EVOSTIK NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE SOUTH. All these demotions were over non-playing matters. The history of these demotions have been well publicised. Our Supporters have to put up with a lot, the final straw was when THOR CHEMICALS bought the stadium. The supporters have suffered all these humiliations, none of their making. They have NO HOME, where does the Club go from here? Help is needed from CHESHIRE WEST AND CHESTER COUNCIL, they can control the destiny of the Club.THE SUPPORTERS OF NORTHWICH VICTORIA FC DESERVE HELP.

THE VICTORIA STADIUM

In its remarkably short existence of 6 years, the stadium has been frequented by the famous both on and off the field and has seen a number of big crowds. More than 3,000 watched Vics become Conference North champions with a win over Stafford Rangers in the 2005/6 season. In 2009, more than 2,000 watched them beat Charlton Athletic in the first round of the FA Cup, a game televised live on IT. THE FAMOUS VISITORS Sir Alex Ferguson (He opened the stadium) Sir Bobby Charlton (A frequent visitor) Sven Goran Erickson (England and Manchester City) Rafa Benitez (Liverpool FC Manager) Stuart Pearce (Manchester City) Wayne Rooney (Manchester United, starred in national advert filmed at the VS) Ronaldo (Manchester United and Real Madrid, starred in national advert filmed at the VS) Guy Ritchie (Film maker, ex husband of Madonna, He made a film for a national advert at the VS) The cast of Coronation Street , the cast of Hollyoaks PLAYERS Gary Neville Danny Welbeck Tom Cleverley Gerard Pique (Manchester United now at Barcelona) Kasper Schmeichel Joe Hart Robby Fowler Andy Townsend (ITV Television) There have been two FA Cup ties filmed LIVE on ITV , The VICS v CHARLTON ATHLETIC, The VICS v LINCOLN CITY. Three major advertising companies have filmed and produced adverts for screening on national television. Manchester United Reserves played their Home matches at the stadium for a number of months

INFRASTRUCTURE
The six-year-old \/ICTORIA STADlUM is, and was, one of the finest Non-League venues in the North of England. The buildingsare solid they have been designed to the highest standards, both the DANEBANK COVERED TERRACE and THE MAIN SEATED STAND with its REAR ADMlNISTRATl\/E AND SOClALCLUB/RESTAURANT STRUCTURE are able to be dismantled and re-erected at a new stadium site. The savings this would make in the building of a new stadium, together with the floodlights would be considerable and also would form the nucleus to build around, in fact you could say you have 60% of the necessary infrastructure needed for a new stadium. The concrete terrace units on the DANEBANK COVERED TERRACE, and the seating concrete units on the MAIN SEATED STAND supplied new would cost in the region of TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND POUNDS. There are other areas of the existing stadium which could be used, the windows etc and the glazed canopies around the perimeter of the ADMIN BLOCK at ground level could be salvaged. There are 14 tumstles re-usable, a tumstile monitoring system in the stadium CONTROL ROOM is available for reuse. The POWERHOUSE CUBICLE and all its inner electrical equipment could prove a valuable asset. The POWERHOUSE ROOM under the DANEBANK TERRACE has electrcal equipment all probably re-usable. The IRRIGATION SYSTEM for the playng area is recoverable. All sorts of fencing, gates, goal posts, etc. are reusabIe. Bar and kitchen equipment is there for future use. A list of available items needs to be made and a programme of recovery plotted giving dates and order of recovery. A site needs to be allocated for recovered items. The site needs to be at least 2 acres, as separate laydown areas are required for the DANEBANK TERRACE steel structure and its concrete terrace units, and the same for the MAIN SEATED STAND and ADMIN BLOCK. An access road down the middle of the laydown site, to offload and load the steelwork and concrete units could be useful, with the materials from the two main structures laid down each side of the road, a steel container would be necessary for all small items. I have listed all the infrastructure just to show that a golden opportunity exists if the right decisions are made. There are one or two people at NORTHWlCH VlCTORlA FC who were intimately involved with the construction of the VlCTORlA STADlUM and would be more than willing to help with any organising and coordinating of the project.

My humble suggestion is as follows, lf THOR CHEMICALS make the offer of dismantling the two MAlN STRUCTURES plus the FLOODLIGHTS, paying for said dismantling and donating to CHESHlRE WEST and CHESTER COUNCIL same, for use in the building of a new COMMUNITY STADIUM , this would as prevousy stated constitute probably 60% of the stadium. The first priority is an 8 to 10 acre site for the stadium. Ihave spoken to a planner at CVVC who informed me that they own no land in the NORTHWICH area of that size. l have been on a mini-tour of the NORTHWICH area with a developer who pointed out land that they own, all these areas were either too small or had strings, whereby they would provide land for a stadium as long as housing was somewhere involved in the development. lf CWC received some cash offer from THOR CHEMICALS, could not CWC do a deal with a landowner (l am told there are one or two who own large areas of land.) CWC have control of all planning in the NORTHWICH area. Surely there is somewhere to accommodate a COMMUNITY-OWNED STADIUM. lf the foregoing happened, the various bodies who would benefit, could be drawn together to carry the project through, the incentive would be there to work together and raise necessary funds through grants etc from the FOOTBALL FOUNDATION (l believe this name has changed.) and others. The FA would probably be interested and they would have a reliable home for cup ties and representative games. NORTHWICH VICTORIA FC would be more than happy to have the comfort of a long-term lease on terms appropriate. If all the foregoing was agreed and put into action, on an agreed programme. I would have thought that SPORT ENGLAND would be satisfied, THOR CHEMICALS would have made a significant contribution, and CHESHIRE WEST and CHESTER COUNCIL would have provided a major COMMUNITY ASSET. Nothing in life is easy, but if the will is there, faith can move mountains. Derek Nuttall, Northwich Vics FC president