Phoenix Nights
It’s been two weeks since Nuneaton Borough announced that they were withdrawing from the Southern League Premier Central. Having been locked out of Liberty Way by Arden Tigress since November, it was no longer viable for the club to continue to operate - even with a ground share agreement in place with Barwell FC.
The 18th January was the close of another familiar chapter for Boro supporters - the club had previously been liquidated in 1991 and 2008. When you have no future to look forward to, you look back to the past. Nuneaton St Nicholas; Nuneaton Borough FC; Nuneaton Borough 1991 FC; Nuneaton Town; and Nuneaton Borough - there have been many incarnations of the club and it will need to rise from the ashes once again.
Despite the turmoil, the club has a proud history. FA Cup victories, including a 1-0 win over Division 2 side Stoke City in 2000 and drawing 1-1 to UEFA Cup side Middlesbrough in 2006, thanks to a late equaliser from Gez Murphy, are still fresh in the memory of Nuneaton Borough supporters.
Having played in the same league as Premiership Luton Town just 10 years ago, the Boro supporters are fully aware of the potential the club had, and they are determined to ensure that the mistakes of the past are not repeated yet again.
It was very fitting that the Nuneaton Borough Supporters Co-operative should hold their open meeting to discuss creating a phoenix club at the Bermuda Phoenix Centre in Nuneaton!
Andy Walsh, from the Football Supporters Association, met with supporters to discuss the various options open to them. They asked me to film the meeting so that any fans who were unable to attend could have the information.
On Wednesday evening, there was also an opportunity to meet a consortium who expressed an interest in forming a phoenix club. They have the backing to build a new ground and a plan that includes the Boro juniors and ladies section. The proposed new name for the club is AFC Nuneaton since it is very likely that ‘Borough’ will not be allowed to be used in the name of a phoenix club.
The Liberal Club, Nuneaton.
To start a club from scratch is a daunting, but also exciting prospect, if done in the right way and with the right people in place. Hopefully, the fans will be able to stick together and ensure that a new club is built with a solid foundation so that future supporters never have to go through this again.
