A West Cumbrian junior football club fears for its future as its ground lease nears its end.
Around 300 youngsters are involved with Workington Juniors FC, which is based at the Ranch, Moss Bay.
But its lease is up in July and the land’s current owner has agreed to sell the land to the town council.
The club is hoping the town council will continue with the arrangement – but fear that ultimately, the land could be sold to a developer for homes, leaving the club homeless.
junior football club in Workington is looking to the Town Council to come to the rescue and save it from extinction.
Workington Juniors FC could be thrown off their pitch at the Ranch, Moss Bay in July if the land is sold to a developer.
David Garrett, chairman of Workington Juniors FC, said: “We have had this hanging over us for a while now and it really could have serious consequences.
“Our lease from the current owner ends in July and if we have to leave the Ranch there is just nowhere else in the town for a club the size of ours to go. It’s been home for a number of years.
“We have up to 300 children involved with our teams, right through from under-fours through to under-16s. When you add in the parents who are club members it is a lot of people.
“There has been much talk about the land being sold for development, in which case we would be without a home. But we are hoping that the owner would sell to the council, who in turn would lease it back to ourselves.
“There is a full town council meeting on Wednesday when a decision could be made and we are planning to attend in numbers to try and encourage the councillors to support the deal and future lease.”
The Ranch has been a sporting venue for 70 years, used by the sporting teams of the old steelworks.
The Ranch was home to cricket, football and rugby union.
It also housed a popular social club which was open to the general public.
