Marine Football Club has revealed ambitions to build a new 5,000 seater stadium in the Crosby area with the aim of eventually earning promotion to the EFL (English Football League).
The club, currently playing at College Road / Rossett Park, has just won promotion to the National League North, where they will face teams including Southport FC, Chester FC and Chorley FC next season.
Marine FC Chairman Paul Leary was awarded the 2024 Sefton Unsung Hero Award, sponsored by River Law, at the 2024 Grand Pride Of Sefton Awards.
The club says that their progress both on and off the field in recent months has been “staggering” and they want to put plans in place to accommodate growing interest.
They are keen to work with any potential investors or partners who can help them to develop.
The initial aim is to identify a site in the Crosby area – they have identified three potential locations – to build a new 4,000 capacity ground, with the ability to expand to 5,000 seats, and progress further up the football pyramid.
Speaking on BBC Radio Merseyside tonight. James Leary said: “We’ve got a brilliant manager, we want to keep progressing as a football club, so the name of the game is while we are in step two, let’s accelerate and get the ground over the line as quickly as possible so that we know there won’t be any complications or issues in the future.
“It would be a 4,000 capacity with the potential to move up to 5,000.
“We have had drawings done. We have been working with a planning consultant and an architect but that is what we are working to, 4,000 with the ability to move up to 5,000 which ultimately means you can get into the EFL.”
A statement by James Leary said: “In 2019 we launched a five-year plan to move Marine Football Club forward in all areas on and off the field. A crucial element of the plan was to future proof the potential upward movement of the club through the pyramid by removing the challenges posed at the current site.
“Accordingly, two years ago we embarked on a project to progress with the build of a new stadium. Our ideal aim is to retain the current Marine Travel Arena as a community hub, but build a new purpose-built stadium to enhance community sports and recreation facilities in the local area. Having our current stadium facility with one of the few 3G pitches in the Crosby area is something we do not want to lose. This is however funding dependent. Marine Football Club is targeting the raising of £5m to complete the development of the new stadium.
“We identified 16 sites within the local area and explored each one to assess the feasibility from a planning and construction perspective. We have now reduced the 16 sites down to 3 potential locations.
“Meanwhile, our progress on-the-field has evidently been staggering. We are now in a position where our attendances have increased to an all-time high. Our promotion means that not only are we expecting another step-change increase in attendances, but our need to remove the constraints that limit us as a football club has accelerated dramatically.
“To get to this stage has taken a lot of blood sweat and tears, meetings, phone calls. There has been a lot of excitement, frustration and learning.
“We have had fantastic support from the Officers of Sefton Council. We are now at a critical stage where we are hoping to secure one of our land options over the coming months.
“Everything we have done has been planned with clear timelines in mind. It is no coincidence that we extended Neil Young’s contract 12 months ago on a three-and-a-half-year contract. This allows us to progress with our stadium plans whilst ensuring maximum stability on-the-field during this important time for the football club.
“For everything we have achieved though in the last five years, it is nothing compared to the size of the task we have ahead of us with the stadium aims. The funding is key to making it happen along with getting agreement from the key people involved with us securing the land in the first place.”
Marine Football Club are looking for any people who can assist with the funding element through donations, investment, professional expertise, construction related companies. Anybody who knows of any resources or funds. Anybody who wants to get involved with the football club and help support the football club financially during what will be a huge period of excitement, growth and transformation. All the above people should get in touch with CEO James Leary by emailing james@marinefc.com for a confidential initial conversation.
A fuller announcement will be made once land has been secured along with a full fan and community consultation process including the showing of all plans.
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