'A' GRADE CLINCHES GROUND SHARING DEAL WITH REBELS
Courtesy of www.thisiswindsor.com.
THE Royalists look all set to secure the A grading for their Stag Meadow home which could become home to beleagured Slough Town after a deal between the two clubs was struck this week.
The Rebels, who have so far not been able to renegotiate a new lease at Wexham Park Stadium with former chairman Alan Thorne, were persuaded to agree to a grounshare offered them by Windsor & Eton FC chairman Peter Simpson.
Windsor & Eton Chairman
Peter Simpson Is Confident
Of A Grading After Inspection
The Ryman league had given the Rebels until March 31 to arrange such a deal in the absence of a renewed lease at their existing home.
Slough Town will play at Stag Meadow next season unless the Royalists fail to get their A grading - and there was a favourable inspection this week - or they finally manage to get the extension to their lease.
Mr Simpson said: "I believe we have met the A grading criteria following the inspection this week. "The inspectors discovered a tremendous change in the conditions here at Stag Meadow and were very complimentary about us.
They are due to meet with the Ryman League on April 25 and I am confident they will report that our objectives have been achieved. "We have now reached an accord with Slough Town who had concerns about the A Grading of the ground if they were to get promotion.
"We needed also to be able to meet the Slough supporters' expectations. "The Ryman League has been very supportive throughout." So a safety net for Slough Town, who may yet get the renewal to the lease they so badly want, is in place.
And the Royalists look set to get the A grade which will enable them to progress to the Ryman Premier Division in the future.
This year's promotion challenge appears to have fizzled out - though no one should forget that they were written off two seasons ago before springing a complete surprise.
But as far as the club is concerned the season is far from over. Mr Simpson was keen to point out that though promotion in his view was 'an objective too far', he nevertheless expected the highest standards of play from his team which could have a bearing on the outcome of the promotion race further up.
He said: "We must continue to perform at the best level - that is a requirement of the league. "And our supporters expect it. We have had a good season and won friends and we cannot afford to let our support fall away."
The Rebels, however, have hit some turbulence in their bid to regain Premier Division status - ultimately a return to the Conference.
They have suffered two draws in the past seven days, their record for the past six games showing just one defeat but a toatl of four draws.
No side chasing promotion can afford to squander eight points and expect to be there at the end. Rebel supporters now travel more in hope than expectation.
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