A night which helped to shape the history of Northwich

The Board are positive (indeed Derek Nuttall is "excited") about wanting to move to the new ground, or "Victoria Park" -at least 1 director`s preferred name (the Victoria Works used to be situated on the proposed site). Fans would be consulted at a later date, but Meredith Park and the New Drill Field were suggested by individual supporters.

For the next 12 months, NVFC have an option on 8.67 acres at Wincham Business Park. The re-sited Danebank Stand would be the focus of the new ground, having the admin. block and changing rooms built around it. There would be terracing and one more stand. Consolation for those who love the Drill Field is that we should be able to play there until the end of next season, and then start operating from the new ground at the start of the season after that. There were further hints from the Directors that we could be looking at a Keys Park scenario, whereby parts of the ground are rudimentary initially, but where eg roofing can be added as we qualify each year for grants.

The new ground would not have a social club as such -someone joked that this would save us £12,000 a year (in losses) for a start! There would be a bar for fans` match-day use and conference facilities, meanwhile. The Directors were looking rather for Northwich Town to get a lottery grant so more land could be purchased for all-weather pitches.

Good news! NVFC have now paid off the sort of creditors who are most likely to get a business wound up: Customs and Excise, PAYE, NIC- so that`s where the Sky money went. Most of the outstanding debts are owed to The Club`s own Directors and to the wife of the late John Stitch.

Director Jim Burton explained the £142,000 loss of last season. This season we should break even because of the FA Cup run (160 K and the sale of Steve Walters and Mark Birch- 30K). The board did not mention any transfer money from Gary Fletcher all night. The Directors had put in an extra 35K. Jim Burton claimed that if the fans stuck together and backed existing schemes (we could eg raise an extra 20K from the Yankee) and if the Club made sure it ceased to keep over-paid players on its payroll (a saving of 50 K), we could meet the shortfall.

The most widespread concern, from dynamic supporters who normally back the board, was at the lack of a Commercial/ Marketing Manager. Passionate supporters wanted to see us emulate the fund-raising feats of other Conference clubs and also to have someone at the club to give professional leadership to any supporter involvement/ committees. The Directors emphasised the need for supporters to unite, rather than undermine such ventures, but did concede we need a really effective VFM Commercial Manager. Likewise the audience did not appear impressed by the Directors` insistence that "income is only as good as the team`s performances".

There were informative exchanges between the floor and the Board. One supporter thought that Witton had stolen a yard on us by having their main stand named after an imperialist burger chain. A Director implied they had received a mere £1,000 to have their ground re-named W.P. in association with a small-time offie. A personal point- there is clearly a divide in communication- there are loyal supporters thinking up some profitable and some unfeasible ideas, while the Directors are privvy to a lot of inforation and contacts, which goes unexploited by fans.

The Directors talked of their joint venture committee with Witton Albion in positive terms but also talked of winding it up formally, as it would serve no purpose in the future. Rod Stitch,"Negotiations have stopped".

Keith Alexander was seen as the key to getting VFM players and to beginning to raise Vics` profile by visits to local schools and youth clubs. His full-time post and presentation skills lent themselves to these aims. Positive feedback from the community had already been noted.

The Drill Field Trust (15 K a season, down to 14.4 K for the last accounts) had a spokesman in Pete Garrett who received a round of applause for congratulating all those behind the DFT and for urging contributors to remain in the scheme to fund developments for spectator comfort at the new ground.

There were the inevitable arguments about why we should vacate the Drill Field -this is not news, except that it was spelled out that supporters and shareholders had democratically voted in favour of selling up and if any shareholder wished to reverse that decision they would have to call another EGM. Bill King confirmed that, any club which did not by the end of May 2003 have an `A` grade, ie 2,000 seats, a capacity of 6,000 and a potential capacity of 10,000 would in all likelihood be expelled from the Conference.

Wain Homes still retain first option over the purchase of the Drill Field (though according to Directors two other builders are also prepared to meet their asking price)- There are two possible hurdles: in the wake of the floods, the Environment agency may create a "barrier" (not sure that metaphor works!); also, Wain Homes are to discuss the issue of providing "affordable housing" with Vale Royal Borough.

VRB were defended by the Board, but it appeared that because of their local plan, we were forced into a corner: Wincham was the only option. The Board had combed the Northwich area and had approached VRB with 5 or 6 possible sites. Places like Gadbrook Park and even two the Avenue in Winnington- surrounded by industrial dereliction- were deemed objectionable by the planners. The Board assured the audience that the planners were in favour. How the councillors vote is of course another matter. Here`s a Derek Nuttall soundbite, "We`re lucky to find a site like this, Ican tell you."

Four (?) local supporters disagreed with any VRB map which showed the new site to be mine- or brine shaft- free. One fan from Wincham did enthuse about saying that all the infrastructure had been put into the estate at a cost of £4.75m and that a company were spending £11m to become Vics` future neighbours. The issue of whether Vics would lose support by moving to Wincham was debated. Most interestingly, one fan indicated that 700 or so fans had not attended the various meetings ("their own choice not to exert influence" was the audible verdict), and that no-one knew how they would vote with their feet.