New twist in Forest move back home
The following is taken from the Waltham Forest Guardian. Thursday 3rd March 2011.
WALTHAM Forest FC will not return home as promised – not this season anyway, after another twist in a length relocation saga, writes Dominic Glover.
The club do not have the vital document to show the Ryman League with which to green-light their move back to the borough.
As a result, the club will not keep their pledge to keep their temporary home in Ilford for Wadham Lodge in Walthamstow this season.
Mystery surrounds the exact reasons, but the club were this week adamant that they were not blame for the latest delay.
That is according to Forest secretary Tony Brazier.
He told Guardian Series Sport that the process has stalled and may only be restarted by Matchday Centres, which owns Wadham Lodge.
“We’ve no lease to move in,” said Brazier. “They are meant to get it so that we can move it. It must go through various authorities, it’s an administration thing.
“We are waiting to hear from Matchday Centres to move it forward. We’ve been emailing them, but they have not replied. We are in their hands.
“We are just disappointed at the fact that we are not going to go back until next season. There’s not much left of it now (this season). I think we have only seven home games left.”
Matchday Centres has not issued Forest with the document detailing its permission to play at Wadham Lodge, claimed Brazier.
At the time of going to press, despite numerous attempts by the Guardian to contact Matchday Centres, no one was available to explain why a licence has not been issued to Forest.
Ryman League chairman Alan Turvey insisted no move can happen until Forest complete the necessary paperwork.
“People cannot just move into a new ground, you need an agreement that you can play there,” he said.
He insisted assistance is being provided by the League to help Forest resolve the problem.
“We’ve been waiting for this for some time. The league is not trying to stop Waltham Forest from playing there.
“The League secretary is helping as much as possible, but the club must do things in the proper way.”
