Stockport Council to buy Edgeley Park

STOCKPORT Council on the verge of becoming the owner of Stokport County’s Edgeley Park Football Ground.

The local authority’s executive will receive a report tomorrow (Wednesday) recommending that, subject to due diligence it will buy the ground from current owners Cheshire Sport for a figure believed to be around £2m.

A council statement said: “It is a genuinely commercial arrangement which would enable the establishment of a landlord-tenant relationship between the Council and Stockport County Football Club.”

It said the decision would be to purchase a land asset “on a cost neutral basis and will therefore not cost council tax payers a penny”.

In the statement issued on behalf of council leader Sue Derbyshire,  Labour and Conservative leaders Alex Ganotis  and Syd Lloyd, respectively and  Peter Burns, leader of the Indpendent Ratepayers Group, the council said it will not at any stage provide financial support for the club, but hopes to purchase the ground in order to provide stability for the team to remain in Stockport and for the club to progress in securing its own long term future.

“All political groups on Stockport Council have come together to support this proposal so that the club can stay in Stockport, close to the vibrant local communities of which it is part and to contribute to raising the profile of our thriving borough,” the statement said.

“Councillors in Stockport will monitor the proposals as they develop and reserve the right not to proceed with the purchase if the deal ceases to represent the best interests of Council Tax Payers and of our town. “

Stockport County, founded in 1883 have played at Edgeley Park since 1902, but were relegated to the Conference North in the 2012/13 season. They are the longest surviving Football League club ever to drop out of its top four divisions.

Edgeley Park has also been home to Sale Sharks RUFC until the club moved to the A J Bell Stadium at Salford.