WICKERS WANT HOME BACK

SOUTHWICK supporters staged a demonstration outside the club’s long-time Old Barn Way ground in a bid to persuade their council owners to allow games to be played there again.

Last Sunday, former players, officials and fans from the past 40 years held placards outside the closed stadium in support of their Save Our Southwick – Bring Home The Wickers campaign.

Last month the club were booted out of both the Southern Combination after a century and the National League too.

The decision was made at a virtual annual general meeting following the surrender of the lease on Old Barn Way ground to Adur & Worthing District Council in March.

The council has since closed the ground because of outstanding repairs and maintenance estimated to cost £500,000.

The league meeting heard that Southwick FC Ltd have since been left with no chairman, director or committee members, and although they survive as a legal entity, they are in no position to take part in the league’s Division One next term.

However, a phoenix club, Southwick FC Ltd (1882), has been formed by fans as a Community Interest Company. But they cannot legally take the place of Southwick FC Ltd until the old club transfersownership, as per FA rules.

The 1882 club have now entered the grassroots Mid Sussex League Championship division – three steps below the Combination’s Division One in which Southwick played last season and not even at Step 7 level – for the coming season, and are set to play on a parks pitch at Southwick Recreation Ground.