Warrenpoint Town now in Irish League Premiership.

[ranch]

It's not good enough for me Ranch.

The playing surface at The Showgrounds would not stand up to the extra traffic in the Winter months that would occur as a result of groundsharing;
This is somewhat vain. The pitch would undoubtedly suffer a little, and if a harsh winter, even a lot. But hosting 50-60 games a year should not, in normal circumstances, prove too big a strain for a pitch in Ireland, the grass-growing capital of the world. Carnbane League pitches, which get minimal groundskeeping, support easily twice as many games a season.

Plus, if Newry look at this as part of a bigger picture, getting council/lotto funding for a full 4G pitch will be a lot easier with a groundshare between two related communities.


• In order to host Premiership football a licence is required. Newry Showgrounds does not have this licence because Newry City will now be playing intermediate football. The cost of acquiring such a licence runs to thousands of pounds;

• Newry Showgrounds is currently rated as an amateur ground. If it were to be rated for professional football this would increase Newry City's rates bill by approximately 400%;

• The Showgrounds' insurance premium would increase by approximately 100% if professional football were to be played there; and


So in total, maybe £15-30k extra, all of which would (in any sensible arrangement) be covered by Warrenpoint as part of the tenancy agreement.  Warrenpoint wouldn't be long recouping the outlay through a) travel cost savings, b) increased spectators through the gate, and c) increased advertising revenues from local businesses.


if groundsharing were to take place, there could also be potential difficulties around the scheduling of matches.

Across the water, the Madejski Stadium, DW Stadium, Liberty Stadium, and KC Stadium not only prove that where there's a will there's a way, but that this will can extend across competing sports, and can also bridge the need for fields to be marked for different sports on the one weekend. Potential doesn't create difficulties. People create difficulties, and if a sport as cash-strapped as senior football in NI cannot find a way to facilitate fixtures for groundsharing clubs, then it truly is doomed.


- - - -

Where there's a will there's a way.

The will isn't there.

Regarding the groundsharing element of it, in Irish League football, particularly at lower levels, there are numerous cup competitions. If Newry are drawn at home on the same day W/Point have a home league fixture what would happen? Reverse the fixture? Always an option but why should they, it's their ground.

Regarding the increase in rates etc, Newry put it to Warrenpoint about all of this and neither side, probably wisely, were willing to fork out the extra cash involved. If Warrenpoint were prepared to pay the extra cash for this it would be foolish from a business perspective on their part.  The will may not be there as you put it, but it's certainly not all Newry's fault.

[supersub]

There are a number of ways round the fixture thing to be fair, earlier kick off for one team or Friday night game for one team etc and given the rarity of this happening it shouldn't be a huge problem. Newry don't see it in their best interest to groundshare and the decision has been accepted and respected by Warrenpoint and should be by everyone else too. I do however think they should have left it at that and not bothered with this statement - odd timing and don't think it makes them look very good to be honest. A lot of it is quite petty to the neutral observer it seems.

[Larry Duff]

What sort of crowd were Newry getting before they went under? Realistically, how many of them will be back to support the new club when they're playing intermediate football in Mid Ulster or Ballymena or wherever they end up?

They may think that Warrenpoint playing at the showgrounds will attract fans from Newry's catchment area but realistically there is no real competition between the clubs to attract support. These new "fans" may come out to watch Warrenpoint v Linfield or Cliftonville but they're not going to be rushing to the showgrounds to see Newry v Broomhedge or Seagoe. Allowing Warrenpoint to groundshare may increase the general interest in local soccer within the town, which may benefit Newry in the long term.

[T Fearon]

Newry got infinitely more support when they were a junior club, and might do so again now they are an intermediate club. Probably due to the fact that lower status clubs use more players from the local community etc, and football is more of a sport and less of a business at that level.

Still think there is a deal to be worked out, between Newry City Warrenpoint Town and Newry and Mourne Council which would allow Warrenpoint to play games at the Showgrounds cost effectively.

Maybe they could adopt Newry as a nursery club

[supersub]

I think it is dead in the water now to be fair and Warrenpoint have accepted and moved on - it would look bad on Newry if they were to go back on their decision given the release of the statement from the club this week too.

[T Fearon]

Good win for the Point against Ards tonight! First points in the Premier division and two points ahead of Linfield already!

[The Gs Man]

Playing against Newry tomorrow. Should be interesting to see what team they have on show.

[T Fearon]

Newry played Bourneview (Portadown) last week.Mighty mighty comedown,on a wee pitch on the Tandragee Road.

[ranch]

Newry played Bourneview (Portadown) last week.Mighty mighty comedown,on a wee pitch on the Tandragee Road.

And won comfortably. A mighty comedown indeed but they have to start somewhere.

[T Fearon]

Were you at the game? Remember scoring a cracking goal against Bourneview on that same pitch over 30 years ago.Irony is Bourneview's Pepperton Park is less than two miles from Shamrock Park,the Portadown pitch Newry's more familiar with.

[Lecale2]

How is that "Irony"?

[The Gs Man]

4-0 defeat at the hands of a very good Newry side. Didn't help that we had 6 first team players at Slane, but no matter. Predict Newry to go straight up to Championship 2 within two years.

[ranch]

Were you at the game? Remember scoring a cracking goal against Bourneview on that same pitch over 30 years ago.Irony is Bourneview's Pepperton Park is less than two miles from Shamrock Park,the Portadown pitch Newry's more familiar with.

I don't see the irony at all to be honest.

[T Fearon]

Another very credible performance by the Point against Cliftonville today,(who are by a mile the best team in the league).Point only  succumbed to two late goals.Shows that they're capable of holding their own in this league and still two points ahead of Linfield

[Agent Orange]

The point have managed to cling on to their place in the Irish League Premiership, but only just.