Dated 25th September 2002

[Dido]

Construction work on Athlone Town Football Club's proposed new stadium could begin in the next few weeks, with the club fully expected to receive the green light to proceed this week. According to the Chairman of the club's Ground Development Committee, Tom McEnroe, final planning permission is imminent, and will give the club the all-clear to begin work on a proposed 6,000 all-seated stadium at Lissywollen, Ballymahon Road, Athlone.

The club has already been granted Government funding to the tune of €1 million for the stadium, which they hope will be fit to host matches by Autumn 2003. Mr, McEnroe said: "Once we receive final permission from Westmeath County Council, the funding activates itself straight away. To benefit from it, we must start works before Christmas. That is not a problem because once we get permission, which we fully expect this week, we can immediately begin the project." As part of the first phase, perimeter fencing and steel structuring, including in the Main Stand, will be implemented. However, he added, the planting of the actual pitch must wait until next Spring.

He said that the entire project, including the acquisition of land, will cost in excess of €6 million. The club are keen to get several fundraising exercise's, including a major Club Draw, up and running before the end of this year.

"WHAT IS THE STORY"

[Ash]

Did Buccaneers get a grant aruond the same time as us?
I've a funny feeling they did.

I havent seen thier new ground etc as I hate rugby just
slightly less than life itself but from what I've heard they're
making Athlone Town AFC into a laughing stock with thier
progress.

[atfconline]

They got 200,000-300,000 at the same time as us, and they have it drawn down already. The Department of Sport released a list of there awhile ago showing who drew down their grant and Buccs were there.

As for the work they have done, its amazing how much they have done in so little time. The club house went up in a matter of months, floodlights awhile before that. The whole place is fenced off nicely, footpaths around the pitch etc, full concrete terracing on one side and a new stand is supposed to be ready by MArch sometime. They have a floodlit training area as well, and then a third pitch for their underage teams.

I have some pics somewhere, I'll post them up if they are any good.

As for the piece from the Westmeath dated September 25th, sure they said the exact same thign this time last year. I remember Paddy McCaul was on the radio, that's when i went up and took the pics of the housing site, thinking it was our site because of what he said. Also, I have been up on the site in the last few weeks and can't see anything up there, not even the outline of the pitch that Paddy mentioned in the programme of hte Monaghan game.