Fears for future as club is told to vacate pitches

The future of one of the region's biggest junior football teams was uncertain today after it was told to vacate its home on the Wolverhampton and South Staffordshire border.

Bosses at Bilbrook Junior Football Club, which has more than 200 boys and girls on its books, said they had been issued a notice telling them to leave by September 12.

The club has been leasing land off Wobaston Road from Wolverhampton City Council for the past two decades.

But the land is now needed as part of the multi-million-pound i54 business park development.

The club currently occupies two patches of land separated by Wobaston Road, one containing a clubhouse, two adult pitches and four mini-pitches and another containing five full-sized and two mini-pitches.

Bosses say they have now been told to vacate the seven-pitch site because of the ongoing developments at the business park.

Wolverhampton Council City said it was still happy to negotiate with the club about the future.

Bilbrook Junior Football Club chairman Dave Meydew said they wanted to fight the decision but did not have enough money and he is now worried about the future of the squad.

Mr Meydew, whose two sons Tom and Jack have passed through the ranks and wife Carlina is membership secretary, said: "We have received the letter now telling us we have got to get off by September.

"We are a huge club with more than 200 kids, we need all of that space. The future of the club could be devastated. We won't be able to expand, thrive and develop."

Charles Green, Wolverhampton City Council's strategic director for education and enterprise, said: "We have no, and have never had, any intention of forcing Bilbrook Junior Football Club off their pitches."

He said the club had changed their mind about signing a lease that related to part of the site but added that he would be happy to discuss it with them further.