Floodlights
1430Hrs 26th March 2013
The football club were today granted permission for four floodlight stanchions to be erected and left in a vertical position between the months of August to April with a stipulation they will be left in the retracted position between May & July.
The only other stipulation placed upon the club was that permission was granted only as long as the club were resident at the Goldstar Ground, effectively meaning that should the club move at some time in the future the permission would end.
Reactions from the Executive Committee!
Andy Wilding - Chairman
I can sum it up in one word – ELATED.
Colin Butcher has put almost insurmountable work and effort in to this project and I personally am truly grateful for his efforts. Colin hasn’t worked on this entirely alone of course, we have all had some part to play in this process. So THANK YOU, one and all. The floodlight issue is only the start of our rebuilding programme and now that we have the blessing of the Council to keep the floodlights in situ during the season, our thoughts must move to phase two – changing facilities. Then, phase three – a new clubhouse. Piece by piece, we will get there and we are blessed with a committee of devoted people to see us through our quests.
Tony Barnes - Vice Chairman & Director of Football
It is difficult to put into words how I feel about today’s planning consent.
Since Felixstowe and Walton merged in 2000 and I was honoured to be made Chairman, the floodlight restrictions have been a constant thorn in my side. Time and again we have been unable to move forward as a club and time and again the lights have hindered us in so many ways.
In my time at the club, we have never won a Senior Trophy, but today’s decision feels like we’ve won the League Title and the FA Cup both at once!
When I heard the news, my first call was to Club President Dave Ashford who gave so much time and effort in getting the floodlights in the first place – it took a quarter of a century Dave, but we got there in the end!!
Special thanks go to Colin Butcher, a stalwart of our club committee, for persevering with our campaign - without his passion, belief and commitment over recent years we simply wouldn’t have got anywhere near.
Our youngsters and future generations of footballers in Felixstowe will be the lucky ones that will truly benefit in years to come from the fantastic efforts made by Dave and Colin.
Junior Chairman - Nigel Long
As Chairman of the Youth section I was well aware of the implications if our application wasn't successful. Thankfully common sense prevailed and the consent to keep the lights up was finally given.
When I heard the news I was obviously delighted but like many others I was also very relieved.
On behalf of the Juniors I would like to thank Colin and everyone involved for their tireless work. From now on it's ”onwards & upwards”and thanks to everyone's efforts we can all look forward to a bright future!
Colin Butcher - Executive Committee Member
I would like to dedicate the decision to all the people over the years in the wind and rain and late at night who voluntarily put these lights up and down so the club could play its football.
I hope it is the first step forward of many we need to take to get this club's facilities up to the level it deserves.
Phil Griffiths - Executive Committee Member
Stepping away from my role as press-officer for the club and putting on my committee members hat, it is difficult to express in words just how much this decision means to us all, but I will have a go!
We at the club all have a belief the town of Felixstowe should be represented at a much higher level of the football pyramid. The committee, on a voluntary basis, work tirelessly to earn money to run the club and down the years we have seen much of that hard earned and desperately needed cash poured down a bottomless hole that was the floodlight situation, while our contemporaries have moved up the football ladder. Hopefully, this is the first real step on bringing the club and its facilities into the 21st century.
Having been involved with the club for close to half a century and seeing it develop in the past decade since the merger into a vibrant entity with a fantastic youth set up, I am almost lost for words, but not quite!
1-0 to common sense!
