WE CAN BE YOUR HOME AWAY FROM HOME 4K capacity plus no hospitality restrictions makes Shielfield a fan favourite over border
EXCLUSIVE
IT has been an anomaly Berwick Rangers have enjoyed since hooking up with the SFA in 1905 – 24 years after its formation.
The only English club to play in the Scottish League has been worn like a badge of honour and never did it shine more brightly than in 1967 when the wee Rangers knocked the big Rangers out of the Scottish Cup.
That 1-0 win sent shockwaves around the country but the club from Berwick-upon-Tweed, just two-and-a-half miles inside the English border, faded alarmingly almost went out of existence in 2019 when demoted to the Lowland League after finishing bottom of League Two.
Under the guidance of chairman Brian Porteous and vice-chairman Craig Forsyth, however, Berwick survived and yesterday held its hand out across the border in the hope it can help others do the same.
Forsyth, of course, sees a benefit to his club in terms of renting Shielfield out for the day to clubs who want to play in front of more that 500 fans.
It would mean giving up home advantage but if Hearts or Hibs, for example – seeing no end in sight to the fan ban – were to take 4000 fans down the A1, the Northumberland club would welcome them.
They’ve already taken steps to ensure distancing measures are in place – even though there’s no need because English law doesn’t demand them.
Forsyth said: “We’ve got a capacity of 4100, so there is plenty of space here.
“And if clubs who usually get a lot more than 500 at their games thought it would be viable, then we’d look at hosting them, subject to the league giving permission.
“There’s no restriction down here in terms of one metre or two-metre distancing in changing rooms. But our away
BY DAVID McCARTHY room is quite small, so we’ve come to an arrangement with East of Scotland League club Tweedmouth, who play at old Shielfield and have a new dressing room facility in the same compound as us, that visiting clubs can use theirs.
“We are using a hospitality lounge as our home dressing room and again, that would be the case if any club wanted it.
“We’d welcome it. The rent would come in handy but, just as importantly, clubs would give fans the chance to see their team in action.” Berwick have only three home games left this season and believe hosting a club wouldn’t be a problem.
Nor does Forsyth believe they would encounter any of the troubles being dealt with by Chester City, who face being fined by the Welsh Government for having 2000 at two home games over the festive period, in contravention of the rules on a 500 limit in place in Wales.
Chester’s Deva Stadium, though, straddles the English and Welsh border, with the club arguing it is an English outfit, although the playing surface is actually in Wales.
“We have to be guided by Northumberland County Council,” said Forsyth. “Everydressing thing is done through them. We play in the Scottish set-up but everyone knows we are based in England and are an English club, following England’s guidelines for attendances and hospitality.
“Our hospitality is currently different to that in Scotland because north of the border you’re only allowed three different households per table.
“Down here there is no limit, so that makes a difference. “We were actually turning people away for hospitality against the Celtic and Rangers B teams. So there is a market for it and being in England, it’s easier for us to accommodate people than it is for most of the clubs.”