Manor takeover gives Wealdstone a home of their own

Jan 17 2008 By John Comfort

CHAIRMAN Howard Krais proclaimed it "the start of a new era for Wealdstone Football Club" as the takeover of Ruislip Manor Sports and Social Club, as revealed in last week's Observer, was confirmed at an open meeting on Sunday, providing the nomadic Stones with a home of their own for the first time in 17 years.

CHAIRMAN Howard Krais proclaimed it "the start of a new era for Wealdstone Football Club" as the takeover of Ruislip Manor Sports and Social Club, as revealed in last week's Observer, was confirmed at an open meeting on Sunday, providing the nomadic Stones with a home of their own for the first time in 17 years.

The 12 acre site at Grosvenor Vale, including the football stadium and associated facilities, was brought under WealdstoneÕs control when a majority shareholding in the debt-ridden RMSSC, which owns the lease to the ground, was acquired by a consortium of senior Wealdstone members, current directors Paul Rumens, Peter Worby and Quintin Fox, and former board member Dominic Whyley. The purchase was made on behalf of Wealdstone, with a provision that it will eventually be sold on to the club.

A packed Grosvenor Vale clubhouse of some 150 Stones supporters and other interested parties heard from club chairman Howard Krais and vice chairman Peter Worby that, with the clubÕs three-year groundshare agreement at Northwood coming to a close at the end of this season, and no finishing date in sight for the club's long term stadium aim at Prince Edward Playing Fields, other viable options had to be investigated which could secure the club's future. The acquisition of Ruislip Manor has achieved that goal.

Said Krais: "It is well known, and I have clearly stated several times in the past, that with the club running out of funds and time we had to find solutions that could help secure the future of the club.

"Ruislip Manor Sports and Social Club have been in some difficulties for some time and on the verge of going out of business altogether. When we were invited to talk to the people at Ruislip we decided to act quickly to take this opportunity as we believe there is great potential in the site.

"This is the start of a new era for Wealdstone Football Club. After 17 years of groundsharing we will finally have a home of our own. Whilst the hard work starts now we are very excited about the potential of building the club that we all want Wealdstone to be."

Grosvenor Vale will allow the club to realise all their long term aims, providing a base for all sections to play under one roof, as well as giving the club the facilities to generate significant income.

Grosvenor Vale is already home for Wealdstone reserves. The club's successful youth set up will also move in, and the first team will start playing there from next season.

The ground needs a C grading for Ryman League Premier Division football and, to obtain that, some remedial work will be required. New dugouts, covered terracing for 60 additional spectators, repair of pitch barrier fencing and some general tidying up will be necessary before the League's March 31 deadline.

Work parties will set about those urgent tasks from 10.30am for the next four Sundays. Anyone willing to help will be welcome.

Stones will be mindful that in 1999 the League denied them promotion as required ground improvements at the White Lion Ground were not completed by the deadline.

Krais said that despite the move to Ruislip, Prince Edward, which they started working on a decade ago and for some years had been 'the only show in town' was still a target. But he added: "After 18 months Barnet have still not managed to get the project moving. We have waited but it still doesn't happen. It remains on the agenda, but only if the deal is right. It has to be a good deal for us."