Continuing BN's look back at the formation of Hereford FC, we've reached the week when the new club heard that it would be able to play at Edgar Street
Edgar Street Lease Deal Agreed With Herefordshire Council
This from Hereford FC:
We are pleased to report that the below News Release has just been launched on the Herefordshire Council website. Later this evening we will bring you more reaction from Jon Hale about this hugely exciting news.
Issued: Tuesday 24 February, 2015
Council Announces Deal For Edgar Street Lease
The council has agreed a lease with Hereford Football Club today, Tuesday 24 February 2015. The agreement and lease are subject to contract and solicitors final comment.
The Hereford Football Club group, led by Jon Hale has successfully negotiated the short term lease to run from March 2015. This means that the club can be registered with the Football Association in time to ensure that Edgar Street sees football back at the ground in time for the 2015/16 season.
Cllr Tony Johnson, leader of Herefordshire Council said, “We are delighted to announce Hereford Football Club as the new tenants for the ground.
The last few months have been fraught; there has been great uncertainty over the future of the ground and I am personally extremely pleased that we have been able to put an end to that uncertainty after a difficult few months
We hope that the historic supporters of the club will welcome the news and support Hereford Football Club with the same passion and fervour as Hereford United.”
Giving their reaction to this news, Jon Hale, from Hereford FC, and Chris Williams, Chairman of Herefordshire United Supporters Trust (HUST) who are the key partner in the new club, said:
“We are very pleased to have reached an agreement with Herefordshire Council for a short term lease to allow Hereford FC to become the new tenants at Edgar Street.
“As a partnership we’d like to thank the local authority for its commitment to seeing football continue at this historic, much loved stadium and we look forward to building a strong relationship with our landlord as the club moves forward.”
The Fans Have Won The Stadium Back Says Trust Chairman
Hereford United Supporters Trust Chairman, Chris Williams, has told BBC Hereford and Worcester that without the fans they won't have been able to get the lease of Edgar Street.
"It's a really good thing that has happened today, it's put a smile on my face, it's been two years of hard work," said Williams.
"Really pleased we've got the stadium back.
"It's not been easy, it's been a great challenge but we've got a really good team of people who have worked really hard to achieve this.
"We've done it because we want football back at Edgar Street.
"The one thing I would say tonight - without the fans supporting what we did, today would not have happened.
"It's the fans that have won us the stadium back and HUST represents those fans.
"It's very humbling to have that degree of support from what is a local football club.
"Today one big thank you to all of the fans that helped us to achieve this.
"There was a boycott, a lot of the regular supporters didn't go to Hereford, interest wained, people found other places to go.
"We had a public meeting at the Welsh Club in January. 300 people turned up and the passion is still there.
"We've got to build on that momentum and provide a football club that is worthy of their support and the way we've set Hereford FC up, it's going to be that sort of club.
"We'll get good crowds at Edgar Street and hopefully if it all works out we'll be watching some good football.
"When we stop smiling the work starts.
"The talks went on all day, it wasn't just there we go the ground is yours.
"It was hard negotiations for a whole day but at the end of it we said now we've got a football club to run. Now the work starts.
"There were other interested parties but in terms of what we did yesterday I think that the degree of support that we had got we were the only game in town.
"The Council indicated other people were interested but using their criteria we have to carry the local support with us and we did that in shed-loads.
"Realistically we were the only game in town but it had to be set-up on a sustainable basis with sustainable income and it has to have a degree of openness and transparancy about it so the fans can see what we are doing.
"Hopefully we will get the passion back.
"Ideally we would have liked a longer term, we've got to encourage investment into the club, short-term investment, five years, isn't that long.
"But we've got a belief that what we are going to build is something that is really creditable and in doing so we will get support.
"As part of the deal we have got, we can go back to the Council as soon as we start playing football again and negotiate the next phase of our lease.
"Hopefully it will bring back this focal point of Saturday in Hereford where people come into the city, spend some money, have a meal, come to the game and enjoy a leisure activity.
"This could have gone the same way as the Racecourse, we could have landed up with yet another facility which is lost to the County.
"I have got to thank Tony Johnson, Chairman of the Council, for the way he stepped in . He believed in what we were doing and he encouraged us."
Let's Get Cracking Says Jon Hale
Jon Hale, chairman of Hereford FC, has said that the last couple of days have been 'hard-fought' but tonight after gaining a five year lease to Edgar Street he admitted that he didn't think he had 'come down off the ceiling yet'.
Speaking on BBC H&W to sports editor Trevor Owens, Hale was asked about the five year lease.
"That was always our angle really that we needed to build long term supporter and commercial relationships and to do that we didn't feel a two and a quarter year lease that they were offering was sufficent for our proposals.
"I understand that the Council have taxpayers to protect and we've got a fan base and a football club to protect.
"Two different sides coming from two different angles but I genuinely believe that our negotiations have allowed us to come to a point we are both happy with.
"I'm delighted with the little bit of security we've got to build the club again.
"Tony Johnson (Herefordshire Council Leader) has always been straight with us as a group ever since we stuck our heads above the paraphet.
"We've met with him a number of times and there's never been any doubt in my mind that he wanted football at Edgar Street and certainly since December 19th he's come out publically and said it.
"At no time in our negotiations have we ever thought that was any different.
"I'm pleased we've come to an agreement that is right for both sides.
"It's possible we will get the keys at some point next week. The Council are going to present us with a letter that we can give to the FA with their intent to award us the tenancy.
"That will allow us then to make our application to the FA for a place in the national league system."
So what needs to be done inside Edgar Street asked Owens.
"There's work to be done. In terms of professional work certainly electrical work and some roofing.
"There's an awful lot of work that is cosmetic and can be handled by incredible amount of volunteers who have come forward offering a range of skills and materials.
"It helps our cause that we can go in there with a dedicated and co-ordinated team of people that will help us get that ground fit for purpose and ready for the big kick-off in August."
What league will you be playing in?
"I met with the FA a couple of weeks back. It's very likely we will be two leagues down from where the previous club went out of business. It looks like the Midlands Alliance.
"We are to make a presentation to the FA in mid-April. It will be that level unless we can twist a few arms that our away support will be big numbers and maybe therefore one league up from that.
"But we can't influence that that's down to the FA league committee but we just want to make sure that the FA know we are on solid ground financially."
Finally Hale thanked everyone who had helped.
"I would just like to thank to an incredible team of people behind this proposal. I really am grateful to them and also to the supporter base.
"To everybody let's enjoy the journey. Let's be patient. Let's make sure we do things in the right order.
"Let's get cracking."
Jon Hale And Chris Williams Reflect On Lease Deal
This from Hereford FC:
Speaking this afternoon, after Herefordshire Council announced a five year deal had been agreed with Hereford FC for the Edgar Street lease, Chairman Jon Hale said:
‘We are absolutely delighted to have agreed a deal with Herefordshire Council for Hereford FC to play at Edgar Street from the start of the 2015/16 season.
‘The lease deal covers five seasons and it is particularly pleasing to be able to confirm that, as part of the agreement we have in place, supporters will be able to stand on the Meadow End.
‘We know how important the Meadow End is to so many supporters and we believe having the traditional home end in use will help ensure we take the spirit of Hereford United with us as we start our journey as Hereford FC.
‘Today is clearly a momentous day, but we are in no doubt that the hard work really starts now. We will be making immediate contact with the Football Association and will then keep up regular contact as we begin the process of being allocated a league to play in next season.
‘I’m sure we are all very excited about the thought of watching football at Edgar Street once again, but I’d like to ask fans to be patient while we make specific plans for the next few weeks and months.
‘We will be looking to put season tickets on sale as soon as we can and we will let people know once we have a plan to do this. We want to create a family atmosphere at Hereford FC and to do that we know good communication is vital.
‘We will provide updates as often as we can and will work closely with Hereford United Supporters Trust (HUST) – who have played a huge role so far and will continue to do so – to ensure as many people are involved as possible.
‘I’d like to thank every single person who has offered us messages of support and I’d also like to thank everyone who has come forward to offer their services as a volunteer to help us get the club off the ground. We will be making contact with all our volunteers as soon as we have organised at a schedule of the type work that needs doing.
‘Finally, I’d just like to take this opportunity to thank Herefordshire Council for demonstrating its commitment to football at Edgar Street by agreeing this lease. We now hope that fans get behind the club so that we can repay the faith the local authority have shown in us.
‘We believe this is going to be quite an adventure – one that we cannot wait to share with you all.’
Meanwhile, HUST Chairman, Chris Williams also gave his thoughts on securing Edgar Street for Hereford FC:
‘I am very pleased that the HUST membership, and the wider support base, has got what it wanted after the heartache of the past months. We can now look forward with confidence, get the stadium ready, and then start talking about the thing everyone really wants to talk about – football.
‘We will need the support of the community to get everything in place for August, and the community have already stepped forward in large numbers to offer their support.
‘We truly believe we are on the cusp of something fantastic for Herefordshire.’