Cash-strapped Basingstoke Town could continue playing at the Camrose following delays to their plans to move to a new ground.
A delay in the new state of the art artificial grass pitch could mean Town’s first team will continue to play at the Camrose for the first half of the 2018/19 season, with the owners’ approval.
Subject to planning permission, the pitch at the Winklebury ground would not be ready for use by the community club and the wider community until towards the end of 2018.
This comes as club supporters have been working to raise £9,200 out of a £20,000 target to maintain the squad.
Members of the community club responsible for arranging the sale of the Camrose Ground heard about progress in the proposed move to Winklebury at a meeting last week.
Community club secretary Steve Williams said all signs were positive about the move to Winklebury and that the delay should be seen as an opportunity to maximise fundraising before the move.
Basingstoke Town went into community ownership towards the end of last year when former chairman Rafi Razzak decided to end his involvement with the club.
It was then announced the Camrose will be sold off for redevelopment with potential for housing.
Club chairman Steve Letch praised the community club for its work in unlocking the potential of a new ground in the town, when once its future didn’t go beyond ground sharing with Farnborough.
He said: “Looking forward, the challenge is not just to maintain and enhance our fundraising but to broaden support across the community and attract more volunteers who can give whatever help they can.”
The community club board will continue to formulate plans for Winklebury, including the provision of a club house.
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