Archived News from July 2009
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OPEN DAY, AWAY SHIRTS, PLUS MATCHDAY PARKING NEWS
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Andy Perry interview on open day, away shirts, matchday parking, etc -->
http://www.mansfieldtown.net/page/NewsDetail/0,,10325~1731552,00.html ------------------ mansfieldtown.net gives details of Field Mill Open Day this Sunday, click here --> http://www.mansfieldtown.net/page/NewsDetail/0,,10325~1728661,00.html --------------------- Stags reduce match day parking at Field Mill Evening Post, July 21, 2009 MANSFIELD Town are to cut parking at their Field Mill ground on match days by about 60 per cent. http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/football/Stags-reduce-match-day-parking-Field/article-1182926-detail/article.html They have opted not to pay landlord Keith Haslam to lease extra land this season to increase parking capacity, as they did last year. The decision has been taken because the club were losing money on the arrangement and there were safety concerns. The area in question includes the five-a--side pitches and the slope next to them. It means that come the first game of the season, only pre-booked season ticket holders will be accommodated outside the ground. Other supporters must park elsewhere. But fans will still be able to pay on the gate for the club's friendly matches, including tonight's clash with Leicester City, for which season ticket passes don't apply. Club chairman Andy Perry said: "We are not taking up the option to lease that extra parking space from Keith Halsam for two reasons. "The primary reason is that there is a safety concern. That area is not lit at night and it is also uneven in places. "We don't want to have a situation where we have a casualty because of it and then a claim against us. We are not going to take that risk. "The other thing is that we actually lost out last season on that area with the amount we paid out compared to the amount we took. "After disabled spaces, staff and directors, there is only room in the car park now for season ticket holders – and their allocation has been sold out. "But we hope people understand our reasons for doing it and the parking situation is much worse at a lot of other grounds we have been to." Perry said he appreciated that it would inconvenience some fans and put pressure on parking around the stadium. But he said the club would look into securing additional parking for big games, as and when required. He added: "It is a case of monitoring the situation and seeing how things work out. The Safety Advisory Group (SAG) are satisfied with our plan. "There may be big cup games where it causes problems, or if we start going really well in the league. "In those instances we will look into the possibility of putting buses on for people from parking sites." --------------------- Stags chairman hints at Mill move . . . and explains car parking space reduction CHAD.co.uk, 23 July 2009 MANSFIELD Town chairman Andy Perry has again confirmed that the Stags' new owners would be prepared to move the club if they can't buy Field Mill. http://www.chad.co.uk/stags/AUDIO-Stags-chairman-hints-at.5490512.jp And he has said that Nottinghamshire County Council would have 'a big part to play' in any future home for the football club. A year ago Perry and fellow local businessmen Steve Middleton and Andy Saunders - 'The Three Musketeers' - took control of the Stags in a deal which saw them lease Field Mill from previous owner Keith Haslam. The 10-year lease deal included a clause which would allow the club to break away after five years - but the owners are also in negotiations to buy the stadium. On Thursday Perry, interviewed on the club's official website mansfieldtown.net, was asked if they would consider moving away from Field Mill. He told Mark Stevenson, the club's head of media and communications: "Yes, definitely. We are negotiating and looking at buying Field Mill. If it is not viable we would look at moving elsewhere." When asked where, the chairman added: "Who knows? The county council has a big part to play in that. "At the moment we are talking to the landlord and negotiations are ongoing. "We will see where we are in the next six months and make a decision from there. "There is a five-year break within the lease. If we can't negotiate for the ground to be ours, then we have to look at moving on . . . that would have to happen pretty rapidly before the five-year break clause (in the lease)." The chairman has also explained why the club has reduced its car parking space at the ground by 60%. He said: "We were renting an area, the old five-a-side pitch and rough area from the current owner. We were paying a rent and the car parking didn't cover the costs (including staffing), so it was not financially viable . . . and in the long run this area may have been developed anyway. "We know it has caused a few issues, but we did in advance sell season tickets for car parking at £3 a game. "The Safety Advisory Group have passed this . . . I agree it is not ideal, but we are not the first clib with limited parking. "We are trying to do what is best for the football club." In the audio interview courtesy of mansfieldtown.net, Perry has also previewed this Sunday's open day at Field Mill, when the new replica away shirts will be on sale and fans can take part in a photo on the pitch of playerd and fans in replica shirts. |
Latest | July 2009