Stadium joy for Renfrew

Published 6 May 2010 09:55 0 Comments

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DELIGHTED: Renfrew North councillor Derek Mackay, president Jimmy Cavan, Renfrew Juniors team with committee members and two 'junior' Juniors at the proposed site.

By Kristian Truelsen

RENFREW boss Dougie Mitchell hopes he will soon be able to attract big-name players to the club after planning chiefs gave the go ahead for a new stadium.

The Frew gaffer is delighted that Renfrewshire Council has given the junior club the thumbs up for the development, which will be on an unused area of Blythswood Retail Park.

The planning board's decision is terrific news for the Western Park side, who sold their ground nine years ago to property developers.

And despite having to wait for the final green light for the plans, which will hopefully come from Scottish Ministers in the next two months, the club is confident there will be no stumbling blocks to their long-awaited move.

Mitchell believes the move can benefit the club on and off the pitch and reckons a new ground would be the perfect way to celebrate their centenary in 2012.

He told Gazette Sport: "I'm absolutely delighted and I think we are ninety per cent there.

"I'm not getting over excited about it, but it's great for the club.

"It's hard to entice players to Western Park because of the state of the place.

"It's great news for the community as well.

"We used to use the ground for youth cup finals but because of the state of it we can't do that any more.

"But we will be looking to get involved in the under-age teams with the new ground.

"It's our centenary year in two years time so it would be great to get something done for then."

Renfrew secretary John Shaw added: "It's fantastic news.

"Because of where it's situated, a decision will be made by the safety executive and the Scottish ministers. They should be able to make a decision in the next couple of months.

"Hopefully they will make a decision in our favour and then it will be rubber stamped by the council because they have already approved of it.

"A big thanks should go to councillor Mackay because he has helped things move along.

"It has probably been nine years since we sold the ground. It has stalled, but in the last couple of years things have progressed since the new council came in.

"We have no facilities at Western Park so hopefully we can make money from facilities to invest in areas for the community."

Renfrew North SNP councillor Derek Mackay said: "Renfrew Juniors will be very happy that permission has been granted by the council's planning board.

"So it now moves on to the next stage, which will involve the approval of Scottish Ministers.

"Many people have great affection for the club and recall the Junior's victory in the Scottish Junior Cup in 2001 at Firhill.

"The Juniors have been set to move from their home at Western Park, Inchinnan Road, and this decision overcomes a major hurdle to have a new ground for the club.

"The retail park has had mixed success and this area could be rejuvenated by the sitting of the Renfrew Juniors ground there.

"It provides a future for the club, and removes the doubt hanging over them."

This article appeared in The Gazette 05 May 10

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