Oliver Holt writing in today's Daily Miail has praised the Hereford FC board for not 'selling' the naming rights to Edgar Street.
It comes after Livingston FC renamed their stadium the Tony Macaroni Arena. It used to be called the Almondvale Stadium. Macaroni is a chain of Italian Restaurants in Scotland.
Holt suggests companies like Macaroni are 'corporate vandals and might as well be daubing graffiti on the facades of these stadiums.'
For example Accrington is to change the name of its stadium from the Crown Ground to the Wham Stadium. Its part of a £200,000 three-year deal with a business called PlasticBoxShop and one of its ‘key partner companies’.
Holt feels that some clubs and companies are 'descrating our football grounds under the cover of investment. Their arrogence and their disdain for our football culture know no bounds.'
The author doesn't appear to be totally against renaming stadium but wants any name to reflect the area and history of the club.
'It doesn’t have to be. Take a look at what
FC United of Manchester are doing. They just built a new ground. They
called it Broadhurst Park after the local area. They wanted to forge a
local identity.
'Similarly, Hereford FC is rising from the ashes of
Hereford United without having to rename Edgar Street, their famous old
ground. They have been helped by local businesses who have not demanded
their name on the stadium as a price for their support.'
So should the board ever to decide to sell the rights then maybe 'The Len Weston Stadium' would pass the 'Holt' test. With due respect, 'The Furniture Importers Stadium' probably would not.