Northwich Victoria owner says coming days are 'crucial' in the club's future

11:22am Friday 29th June 2012 in Sport Photograph of the Author Exclusive By Andrew Simpson, Senior Sports Writer

Northwich Victoria owner Jim Rushe. Northwich Victoria owner Jim Rushe.

VICS owner Jim Rushe says he needs time to think after the Football Association rejected the club’s appeal against honouring a ground share at Stafford.

He plans to make a decision about what to do next after the weekend.

“I’m really disappointed with the decision,” he said.

“It was a surreal atmosphere during the hearing; it felt like the FA had no flexibility to overrule the Northern Premier League even in what I feel are exceptional circumstances.”

In a statement last night, Thursday, the club blamed a technicality for the appeal’s failure.

Neither the FA, nor the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League, wished to make a comment on that other than to confirm the panel’s verdict.

It means Vics, allocated a place in Division One South next season on the basis that home matches would be played at Stafford’s Marston Road, will be forced to honour an agreement signed in March.

Rushe said: “I’ve got a lot to think about.

“There is a number of options open to me; I’ll weigh those up, and try to remain positive.

“It’s fair to say though that the next few days will be crucial in terms of what happens moving forward from here.”

He said that a lease offered to the club by the landlord at Flixton’s Valley Road – the venue he asked the FA for permission to play at – remains in place.

North West Counties League Division One outfit Northwich Villa play home games there from next season.

Comments(19)

wittonyank says...
2:49pm Fri 29 Jun 12

What is the ground grade at Flixton? If they don't have a ground that is suitable for the NPL, what is the point of this attempt to move there? I wish this writer had made it clear in the article that Valley Road is acceptable to the NPL.

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Antony Rogers says...
3:59pm Fri 29 Jun 12

wittonyank, you could have saved yourself all the frustration if you'd have read the previous article.

http://www.northwich
guardian.co.uk/vics/
9788658.FA_rejects_V
ics____appeal_to_swi
tch_grounds/

However, the FA confirmed that Valley Road was fit enough only for North West Counties League fixtures.
Article goes on to say...
Mr Rushe has been offered a lease to occupy Valley Road following Flixton’s resignation from the North West Counties League. He told the Guardian earlier this week that he had overseen work there to improve the facilities on offer to visitors

I'm more concerned that the FA haven't realised that Rushe still has a connection with Northwich Villa FC, who will be playing at Flixton next season.... How strange.

Either way Flixton or Stafford, NVFC is DEAD, the sooner Rushe realises this and disappears the better.

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markust says...
4:04pm Fri 29 Jun 12

Flixton was graded with a ground grade F. Ground grade D would be required for the NPL D1 (grade E would be allowed temporarily for clubs promoted from the NWCFL, but not for any other clubs).

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Jim Budden says...
9:55pm Mon 2 Jul 12

JB
JR open your eyes mate and come into the real world. You are in the corner of a barrel. The Football League don't want us that is why we are playing at Stafford they hope we go out of existance next season. The NPL don't want us, we are the laughing stock of Cheshire, your best has not been good enough for the last 4 years. Our credit rating stinks everyone keeps us at arms length and no one trusts a word we say.
Jim it is time to step down and move over and give someone else a chance Winsford/Skem/Flixto
n/Nantwich ???? we have run out of options and maybe we could join the circus as clowns because if the cap fits, that is just how it feels to the supporters now, it FEELS LIKE THE CIRCUS.

JB

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Paul Roughsedge says...
10:24pm Tue 3 Jul 12

I have watched Northwich Victoria for over 30 years and I agree with JB above it does feel like a circus,the club is a joke,and JR wants me to part with my money to follow them.I dont think so I have had enough.

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WHS says...
2:17pm Fri 6 Jul 12

Despite my lifelong enmity to Vics I cannot help but feel sorry for some (not all) their supporters. They just want to watch their team and it looks like that is NOT going to happen. But any hope they had of a ground share with Witton went out of the window with the insults that were rained on my club when Vics last shared our ground. Now it looks more than likely they will simply cease to exist. Never mind lads and lasses, you WILL be made welcome at Witton, come and see how a "family" club is run, in no time at all you will grow to love it.
WHS,

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xenosisuk says...
3:18am Sun 8 Jul 12

WHS, you can stick your Witton up your **** ****. I will always be a Northwich Victoria fan!!

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WHS says...
12:17pm Sun 8 Jul 12

You cannot support something that no longer exists and I seriously believe your club will cease to exist in its present form before the end of the month simply because MR. Rushe must already know that the whole enterprise at Stafford is a non-starter. You are more than welcome still to join us at Witton once the reality of the situation sinks in.
The supporters trust may start a new club, but it will not, cannot be named "Northwich Victoria". so anyway you look at it you will not be a "Northwich Victoria fan"!!!
WHS.

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THETELLEROFTALES says...
4:47pm Sun 8 Jul 12

Strong words Jim Budden, strong words indeed. Can't disagree with anything you say except the bit about JR standing down and letting someone else have a go.
Is this likely to happen?
Nah.....
Supporting semi-pro football in Northwich also supports the grass roots, the junior football and this benefits the area and hopefully one day Northwich will be a top town for quality non-league footie. Witton are some way off this at the moment but they are moving in the right direction and as the only team in town it makes sense to want them to succeed.

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WHS says...
11:09am Mon 9 Jul 12

Well said THETELLEROFTALES. Witton are moving in the right direction and will welcome ANYONE who wants to come and join our club and see how a REAL family orientated club is run. Mr. Rushe, it is time to go and let the real Vics fans run their club. (If they can at this late stage.)
WHS.

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pdw says...
12:35pm Mon 9 Jul 12

Mr Lowe, we have enough issues at the moment without reading your posts.
Don't wish to be funny but go and post on witton threads and drum up support from there.
Hopefully we can salvage something from Vics.
If not so be it.

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WHS says...
6:48pm Mon 9 Jul 12

pdw, simply answer, don't read my posts!! You have a cheek to take me to task over my comments since your lot were constantly having a go at Witton over the last ten or more years. You even had the cheek to label our ground "The Swamp" while you were our tenants and that is the reason you will not be invited back under ANY circumstances. As for posting on the Witton thread, I do but at the moment I am getting great satisfaction watching you lot squirm instead of lording it over us because you were in a better league, it turns out you were only above us because, to put it bluntly, like Glasgow Rangers you were cheating. I do hope you as supporters can revive your club, I would have nothing to laugh at if you fail!
WHS.

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DaveDavenham says...
12:57pm Tue 10 Jul 12

What's playing on JR's iPod right now?

The Clash - Should I (we) stay or should I go?....always a favourite.

The silence from the green side of town is deafening.

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WHS says...
5:08pm Tue 10 Jul 12

Witton play Runcorn away on Saturday, let's forget the Vics and leave them to fester.
WHS.

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Vicsfan says...
1:04am Wed 11 Jul 12

Mr Lowe, I would rather listen to a pigeon race on the radio than watch witton. Its taken 43 years for you lot to climb above Vics in the pyramid and that because we've been relegated twice for off the field problems - something that witton were very familiar with a few years ago and probably still are if certain people decide to cash in!

The last 10 years has seen nothing but misery for Vics, yes there have been mistakes made but many others have not helped Vics one jot including local authorities who ought to be ashamed of some decisions made that contributed to our demise and guess what - witton gained - how very interesting, no doubt your prayers have been answered. Remember this though Mr Lowe, what goes around comes around and one day your snide comments over the years will bite you where where the sun don't shine.

One thing is sure,we have 400+ fans waiting in the wings to launch a new Vics, now off you pop onto a witton page and have some fun with TTOT.

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Jim Budden says...
4:24am Thu 12 Jul 12

The draws have been made for the early rounds of the FA cup and so forth. Does it not sound crackers that the Vics have been drawn at home to Clitheroe.
How can it be, 40/45 miles away is a home match , that is how crazy it sounds. Come on FA wake up and give us a fighting chance hey. What a laugh. Jimbo

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Jim Budden says...
4:24am Thu 12 Jul 12

The draws have been made for the early rounds of the FA cup and so forth. Does it not sound crackers that the Vics have been drawn at home to Clitheroe.
How can it be, 40/45 miles away is a home match , that is how crazy it sounds. Come on FA wake up and give us a fighting chance hey. What a laugh. Jimbo

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Paul Roughsedge says...
11:18am Mon 16 Jul 12

Well I wont be going think I'll start watching crewe.

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jcvics89 says...
2:34pm Thu 26 Jul 12

even tho the situation is really bad with vics having to play home games at stafford it is shameful that any vics fan would not consider travelling whereever it takes to support the team, when we were at the VS we were getting 600+ so were are these 'fans' now? the fact is that if we dont support the club then it will die and im sure that in the long run supporters want to have a fan run NORTHWICH VICTORIA not another club started from scratch and for that to happen fans need to get behind the club regardless of what they think of the financial situation.

and as for u sad excuse for witton fans, good look in the NPL this season and all vics fans CANNOT WAIT for u to get relegated! see ya next season

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