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Reds’ boost in bid to find their own home

1/11/2007

MANCHESTER City Council has thrown its considerable weight behind FC United’s plans to move from Gigg Lane and find their own permanent home.

Council leader Richard Leese says he shares the club’s vision to provide community facilities within the city and he will help them in their search.

Leese is reported as telling a Supporters Direct meeting in Manchester that the council is ‘really convinced by the vision FC United set out’.

The reds hope to be in their new home within five years but around £5 million to £8 million is needed to turn the dream into reality and the purchase of suitable land is the biggest stumbling block.

The council’s backing is therefore invaluable.

This news and further plans were revealed to members at the club’s annual general meeting at the weekend.

The club’s biggest financial outlay is the rent money they pay to Bury to hire Gigg Lane for matches.

A spokesman for FC said: "We only rent the ground on match days and therefore don’t have a base from which to work and our income is going out to other organisations, such as Bury Football Club. Getting our own ground is essential to the future of the club and it also needs to be part of the community."

Plans showing concept designs of what any new stadium could look like were revealed to members and a development fund has been set up for people to donate towards the dream.