Council says it offered Hucknall Sports use of Papplewick Green pitches but club said no

As the Dispatch reported yesterday, the club made the decision to leave its home pitches, saying the council’s proposed arrangement with Sports Gateway over control made its position ‘untenable’.

But the council said it met with the club and offered it everything it asked for – including use of the pitches on the Papplewick Green site on Saturdays and Sundays for the season – but the club chose to reject the offer.

However, the council said it would continue to work with the club to find it an alternative venue to call home.

Theresa Hodgkinson, director of place and communities at the council, said: “The council met with Hucknall Sports on July 19.

"The club was offered use of the pitches they had requested at the site on both Saturdays and Sundays for the forthcoming season.

“We were disappointed that the club have advised us that they do not wish to take up these pitch allocations and work with Sports Gateway, which is entering into a 12-month management agreement with the council to manage the site.

“This agreement is part of the council’s strategy to work with clubs/non-profit organisations to improve local facilities.

“Hucknall Sports have confirmed they have sufficient pitch capacity for the season for their 28 teams and this includes the pitches on the Merlin site off Kenbrook Road, which is a short distance from the main Papplewick Green site.

“We will work with the club to support them with the potential for a management agreement/lease for a site in Hucknall.

“The council is committed to supporting grassroots community football and providing facilities across Hucknall with sites at Titchfield Park, Nabbs Lane and the Merlin site, ensuring there is adequate capacity for children and young people to participate.”

Sports, who have worked with thousands of local youngsters and families across 44 years, have been playing their home games at Papplewick Green off Kenbrook Road since the fields were created.

They were a replacement for the Wigwam Lane Playing fields the organisation previously called home – land that was controversially used for housing.

But the council, which owns Papplewick Green, took the decision to change their pitch usage as it looked to arrange a short-term management agreement with the locally-based community interest company, Sports Gateway.

Sports chairman Alan Spray said: “We pride ourselves on our sincerity and integrity, just two of our core values, as we go from strength to strength each year.

“Having lost the opportunity to do so in 1995 when we first tried to obtain a secure lease on Wigwam, it has always been our intention to grow along with the local community and create a community hub to be proud of at Papplewick Green.

“However, recent developments have forced us to evaluate our position, considering ADC awarding a 12-month management agreement to Sports Gateway without prior consultation with ourselves or others, and we feel we have been forced into an untenable situation due to the complete lack of transparency with the whole project.

“The proposed arrangement from ADC would mean Hucknall Sports having to sublet the pitches at Papplewick Green from Sports Gateway.

“Although the decision has been difficult to come to terms with, we are unanimous in deciding this is the right course of action for our club.

“We would like to put our thanks on record to the thousands of members of the community that have supported our plight these last two weeks.