Bosham
Image courtesy of Kate Shemilt, Chichester Observer
Town, and Kieran Hartley, who plays two
division’s higher than us for Chichester
City, and got his first involvement in the
FA Cup and Vase this season.
FF: Regarding your facility, are you
happy with what you currently have?
Are you keen to expand/improve in any
areas?
SJ: We’ve pushed as much as we can
on our current site at Walton Lane. Our
club has come on tremendously in the
last three to four years. Grant funding
has been central to this - the likes of Sport
England’s ‘Inspired Facilities’ to improve
our clubhouse, kitchen, dressing rooms,
provide a new pitch barrier and dugouts.
We’ve also gained funding through
West Sussex County Council for pitch
maintenance work, a ride-on mower and
new external storage.
But in leasing from the local Parish
Council on what is a public recreation
ground outside of match days, we are
unable to progress into Step 6 as we are
surrounded by houses and cannot get
floodlights or a seated stand. This is a
concern for the long-term and without
doubt, our single biggest challenge, since
our clubhouse isn’t big enough to host
events, and we can’t even train on our
pitch which brings an extra cost.
We are looking at options elsewhere,
but it’s not a quick-fix with both
permission and financing significant
obstacles. I’d love to see the club compete
in the FA Cup and the FA Vase – which
we did prior to current ground grading
stipulations, back in the 1980’s - and give
the players an opportunity to play at the
highest level. We remain ambitious and
hopeful, but for now we are where we are,
and we do the best we can – however if
there’s any landowners out there who can
help, we are very much open to offers!
FF: What are the clubs ambitions for the
next 5 years?
SJ: Well, the dream would be to have
moved ground, have facilities we can call
our o wn and enable the club to move up
the leagues, while continuing to develop
and nurture our own younger talent.
“I grew up in the area and first got involved with the club when
I was around ten years old. I’m now player/manager of the first
team and have been with the club for around twenty seven
years apart from a couple of years at different teams.
As a company I’ve sponsored the club for around five years,
carrying out grounds work and taking an advert on the website
and in the matchday programme. The quality of the football
this year has been good and it is nice to have been rewarded
with a trophy. Hopefully the team will be able to produce the
same again next season and can add another trophy.”
Andy Probee
Our passion from day one has been about transforming our clients
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