Scunthorpe United fights to stay at Glanford Park

Scunthorpe United said it had instructed barristers after it was given notice to pay former owner Peter Swann £3m or quit its Glanford Park home by May 24.

Owner David Hilton told a fan forum this week that two plots of land next to the club’s existing stadium will be the location for a new stadium, and retail and car parking.

Hilton said he was no longer on speaking terms with former club chair Peter Swann, who still owns the ground and has blocked its sale. Hilton said the club is working with North Lincolnshire Council to develop the new home for the club, and estimated it could take two years to move.

Swann has given notice to the club pay £3m to quit Glanford Park by 24 May, but Hilton said he had instructed his legal team to defend the club’s interests and was confident it would remain at the stadium for the foreseeable future.

In a statement on its website, the club said efforts to purchase of Glanford Park from Swann had  stalled. “Mr Hilton confirmed that this was due to various legal issues such as unregistered parcels of land (potential ransom strips), the inability for him to purchase the stadium in the clubs name due to Mr Swann not following the correct procedure for a sale of an asset of community value, previously undeclared access rights for a third party, expired planning consents, flood risk and a much lower valuation.

“Mr Hilton went on to reiterate that at no point did he want to withdraw from the process however was insistent that the legalities were carried out correctly in order to protect the club moving forward.”