On What Grounds (01) : Wessex Stadium

The future of Weymouth FC - and the Wessex Stadium - was the lead story in the local paper on the day of our game and, again, later in the week. It's now apparent that the investment arm of Morgan Sindall, one of the country's largest building firms, has purchased the land surrounding the Wessex and has formed the Wessex Development Partnership to push for a new ground elsewhere in the town (and presumably the re-development of the present site).

The stadium remains in the hands of the Weymouth chairman, himself a property man, who has only been at the helm for a year and is extremely unpopular. It appears he wants to sell the club - as quickly as possible - while remaining on the scene to develop the new stadium. Further transactions depend on planning permission.

A twist is that Morgan Sindall's man is an ex-director (as Trust representative) of AFC Bournemouth who was also rumoured to be interested in the actual club. This one will run and run.

There was a reference to the Recreation Ground, Weymouth's home from 1897 to 1987, in Tuesday's programme. Apparently the club was one of the earliest to have floodlights and hosted a midweek friendly against Torquay in 1953 in front of 3,170. The Rec was close to the Town Bridge, and the present-day harbour marina, on land now occupied by Asda. The record crowd was 12,500 against Yeovil in the late 1940s with 6,000 watching the 1960 FA Cup tie against Torquay United.

Weymouth stepped up from the Western League to the Southern League in 1949 and remained a major non-league force for 40 years before declining shortly after moving to the Wessex Stadium (a situation only reversed in recent years). A peak was becoming the Conference's first runners-up in 1979/80 (when it was known as the Alliance Premier League).

However, the best times were the Southern League championship wins of 1965 and 1966, the first of which was under the management of Frank O'Farrell before he came to Plainmoor in May 1965. In time Tommy Spratt, Andy Donnelly and Micky Cave all followed from Weymouth.

Here's a picture of Frank O'Farrell after Weymouth's 1965 championship win, a picture probably taken days before he left for Torquay:

The details are on www.tufchistory.com

It was on 4/2/53 and we lost 2-3, with goals from Sammy Collins and Don Mills. I think this was only our second game ever under lights – the first being at Gloucester City on 11/11/52.

Weymouth was actually the very first team that the new professional TUFC club ever played – a 1-0 Western League win at Plainmoor on 3/9/21. We played each other regularly in both Southern and Western Leagues until we were elected to the League in 1927.

I read the Ian Ridley book about Weymouth a few years ago, but don’t really understand all the toing and froing since Ridley left. I watched the goals from our match on Westcountry and they had a feature on the current troubles. I must say that, although you shouldn’t judge on appearances, their Chairman came across as a right smarmy git. I really hope things work out o.k. for the fans of Weymouth – they deserve a football club.

Brett You asked On what grounds should a ground biult In 1987 needs to go already.It Is true the stadium Is In need Of repair, this Is due to pure neglect, the last owner who owns holidays parks In Dorset, never wanted to invest In maintenance, as he also had plans to sell the ground.

He had hoped a supermarket chain was going to buy It, he would have made lots Of money, but when the deal fell through, he stopped putting money Into the club and got rid Of most Of the players. Tully was one such player, who as we know went to Exeter.

With money spent On the stadium, It would fulfill the needs Of Weymouth town for many more years, but that money won't be spent as the owner only wants the land and nothing else.Why and how do people like these get Into football clubs.

Bartondowns says those three men looked like they really had Roberts sused, but Roberts took many people In and the promise Of a shinny new stadium, even had Merse fooled, who then dared to slag Of any local person, who In his view failed to see just how good It would be for the club.

The owner Of Weymouth Is no different from Roberts, people like these do not care about a football club, TUFC to Roberts was just the vehicle he needed to get what he really came for. Our club would have ended Up without Its own ground In a soulless empty stadium, that they could only use On match days.

I also watched the goals and heard what Jon heard, but while he may have seemed slimy, what we was saying sounded good and I felt what are the fans moaning about. That Is why yesterday morning while In Weymouth, I took the time to speak to my customers there and get their views.

Hearing their views, reminded me Of my strong views I made known about Roberts and I then got the feeling that the situation at Weymouth was not much different to when Roberts was here.

How can we forget the Dave Webb's years, remember our away end being taken away and a used car lot put there, tell me what fool would buy a car from that man, who some say had something to do with other events at the ground, we need say no more on that.

Yet he was able a few years ago to get control Of a club that up until then was so well run. Yeovil Town a club that was marching along and going In the right direction. I talked with people up there when he came, I gave warnings Of what would happen.

They soon found out and not before It was too late and the people who really loved and had worked so hard over the years, got the club back and the rest Is history.

Our own club was taken taken over by fans Of the club, people who loved It and Only wanted the club to be a success and not as some fool put On the HE website, looking to turn the ground Into houses.

I hope that someone In Weymouth Loves the club enough and get others to join him in getting the control Of the club, back In the hands Of people who have only one Interest and that Is Weymouth Town Football Club. I fear there Is no such person and where this stadium now stands will be Industrial units and this great club, that I know the people Of Weymouth care about, may be no more.

That old Weymouth programme lists some fine old players................Dennis Penford who became a wonderful mentor for so many youths in the area with his quiet manner of coaching, running of the Torbay Pioneer League and tireless work for the community. His younger son, Steve was a good referee and showed a lot of stead fastness and focus through taking up the whistle at a very young age; whilst elder son Chris produced some fine football teams through his role as a games teacher at Torquay Boys Grammar School.

Geoff Cox was another who mentored a lot of youngsters into the game and ran the Torquay United Western League (Reserve) team thirty odd years ago. Geoff, a very mild and quiet guy certainly let you know if he was upset though and woe betide anyone who thought they could take advantage of his better nature! His son Maurice also played as pro for the club and in fact bagged the fastest ever goal at the old Wembley Stadium when playing in the Varsity Match for Cambridge University. Geoff's wife Madge was also my indispensible secretary during my time at Plainmoor!

In earlier times, I was fortunate enough to play alongside and be coached by Geoff, Tommy Northcott and Don Mills - three of that side, as I've catalogued before; so I won't go over those old times again. But whenever I see the name of Larry Baxter listed my mind immediately goes back to my days sitting on the Boys' Benches at Plainmoor and really having my day made if the great man had either ruffled my hair or aimed a wise crack in my direction - which he was particularly prone to do.

You see, such interaction with youngsters builds a bond between club and fan and stays for life..............far more than the facts and figures of individual games do!

Seems there's even more speculation at Weymouth. Tonight's Herald Express has picked up on a Dorset Echo story about the Dorchester Town chairman, something of a loose cannon I gather, stating that a "merger" between the clubs would be a good thing.

Most likely stuff and nonsense. The Dorchester man is talking about Weymouth - and presumably their BSP status - being welcome at the Avenue. He reckons it would be a simple case of merging the names, colours and supporters (a particularly interesting prospect). There's plenty of talk on the Echo website about not going "over the Ridgeway". This must be local vernacular for the high land between the two towns.

No suggestion of what the new entity might be called. Perhaps the Hardyesque Casterbridge and Budmouth United might be a runner?

Ah, Portland - the "Isle of Slingers" to Thomas Hardy.

I can think of two grounds on Portland. Portland United play where you turn left for the Grove Young Offender's Institution - and somewhere near the YOI there is a remarkable pitch sunk deep in an old quarry pit. And, of course, if you want to unnerve the locals just shout "rabbits!". Makes them nervous on account of all the land slips caused by the little furry things.

Not surprised about the bog near the proprosed Weymouth stadium - it's all rather reedy around there.

Would imagine there is a typical level of keen rivalry between Weymouth and Dorchester which stops short of true animosity - it's always heartening that Weymouth supporters maintain their contempt for Yeovile.