We were thrilled to see such a large crowd witness the close defeat to local rivals Broadstreet on Saturday. It was a great shame such a great occasion and exciting match could not have been held on the stadium pitch adjoining Nuneaton RFC’s Clubhouse. We want to assure members and supporters that the Committee are doing everything they can to re-commence use of the stadium pitch, which would be fitting given the high standards of performance by Nuneaton RFC’s first team this season.

Some recent reports have stated there is a feud between Nuneaton RFC and Nuneaton Town Football Club. We want to correct this misunderstanding. When the stadium pitch was sold by Nuneaton RFC it was to Nuneaton Borough Football Club and a 125 year groundshare agreement was also signed at the same time. Nuneaton Borough FC was liquidated a short time later and since that point the ground has not been owned by the successor football Club - Nuneaton Town.

The stadium is presently owned by Ian Neale (who refused to honour the groundshare agreement agreed between the two clubs) and Lee Thorn. Since the liquidation of Nuneaton Borough all negotiations, agreements and invoices relating to Nuneaton RFC’s use of the stadium pitch have been between Nuneaton RFC and Ian Neale and Lee Thorn’s companies. There have been no discussions with the football club and the present negotiations are between the stadium owners and Nuneaton RFC. Mr Thorn recently claimed he had made an offer for use of the stadium pitch to Nuneaton RFC on 19th January and that this had been declined by Nuneaton RFC. No such email was received and therefore no offer was rejected. Nuneaton RFC have asked Mr Thorn to re-send this email offer but he has yet to do so.

This week following lengthy correspondence we have written to the stadium owners, as per their obligations in HM Land Registry documents, making a demand for a fair and reasonable proportion of the costs required to repair the access way to the stadium across Nuneaton RFC land. Given that Nuneaton Town FC make use of the Accessway on a fulltime basis and that heavy vehicles access Premier Refurb Builders - a company owned by the stadium owners and which appears to be based in the stadium - substantial repair is necessary. Following our Surveyors advice an estimate of appropriate costs has been sought and provided to the Stadium owners. In the past Nuneaton RFC volunteers have regularly made urgent repairs and on one occasion the Nuneaton Town Supporters Co-Operative provided their help but the work necessary to repair the damage caused by the heavy goods vehicles requires more permanent and substantial repair and renewal.

Nuneaton RFC wishes Nuneaton Town FC and its supporters well. We seek access to the stadium pitch adjoining our Clubhouse and which was the subject of a 125 year groundshare agreement when it was sold. We continue to remain willing to sit down with the stadium owners - Mr Neale and Mr Thorn - to agree terms under which our first team will play its matches next season in a setting they deserve and which would reflect well on the town of Nuneaton.

NRFC Committee