SUPPORTERS of Newport Football Club have been given fresh hope work to start the stalled stadium project at Whippingham could get underway in March — but many fear further delays could see its demise and the break-up of a promising Wessex team.

An open meeting was held at the Castle Inn, Newport, last night (Monday), to hear the latest from the club's former chairman, Tony Wake, who is spearheading the project on behalf of developers, South Coast Leisure.

He said work to get the project underway at the Racecourse, on the outskirts of Newport, was tied in to finance generated from selling units at a new retail park at the former St George's Park site in Newport.

Planning permission for the retail park and the football ground has already been granted, but South Coast Leisure are waiting on scores of planning conditions on both projects to get signed off by the Isle of Wight Council before there is any sign of a digger at either site.

Mr Wake, a director of South Coast Leisure, said he was keeping his fingers crossed that enough conditions could be signed off by mid-January to ensure work starts at the Racecourse in March.

Mr Wake added if work started in March, it would mean the facility would not be finished in time for the new season — but could be used in September.

Newport's first team manager, Steve Brougham, cut a frustrated figure in the audience.

"You can't plan anything. We can't get a reserve side up. But once you've started and have a pitch, you can have anything talked about," he said.

There was also fears expressed among fans the promising, settled first team Brougham now has, may be dismantled if no progress is made this season.

Newport fan and former Ryde mayor and Island councillor, Henry Adams, said: "I'd like to think it'll happen and I'd be delighted if it does, because if it doesn't happen, it could possibly be the end of Newport FC."

  • For the full story, get this Friday's County Press.