RANGERS are looking to move to Les Vauxbelets. The club have put the wheels in motion to develop the former football pitch immediately behind Froome’s yard.
They plan to play their Priaulx matches and have a purpose built clubhouse there within two years.
The first phase of the ambitious project sees their mini section use the pitch in front of Blanchelande Girls’ College with their own new changing rooms facility.
‘I’m really excited because as far as I’m concerned this is four years of planning come good,’ said Rangers first team coach Mac Gallienne.
‘We really wanted to stay in St Andrew’s and we are delighted that we have come to an arrangement with Blanchelande that will allow our minis to improve their skills on a far superior pitch.
‘In one respect, this is St Andrew’s football coming home.
‘We have heard from a number of prominent islanders who recall playing football at Les Vauxbelets in years gone by.
‘This is a chance to maximise the potential that we are seeing at all levels in Rangers football and ultimately we’ll have a football ground second to none in Guernsey.
‘We have long been, and wish to remain, a part of the St Andrew’s community and we want Rangers to be one of the key social amenities available to the parish.’
Gallienne declined to comment to how much the development is likely to cost, but it will be partly funded by the sale of their share of the Track to Bels that went through last week.
They have the full backing of the Guernsey Sports Commission and the Guernsey Football Association while preliminary discussions have taken place with the Environment Department.
Plans drawn up by architect Jamie Falla see the Vauxbelets field sink by 12ft in order to keep the pitch aesthetically acceptable within the area.
The clubhouse will also be built on the sunken land and planted screening will be put around the ground to help minimise its exposure to the surrounding properties.
‘We’re completely sensitive to the neighbours and we want to do this in the right way,’ said Rangers minis’ coach Rob Shepherd yesterday.
‘They are all getting a letter today and we are going to meet them.
‘We want to do this in the right way as this is part of the greenest part of the island so we want to make it as compatible as possible with the planners, Blanchelande, Rangers and the neighbours and we are confident that we can do that.
‘We are trying to do this in as inclusive a way as possible.’
By September, Rangers hope to have completed the first phase of the operation, with their mini section training every Saturday morning on their new site.
The plan is to upgrade the old pavilion by the tennis courts and the pitch to provide four changing rooms and a tearoom.
‘I think it’s fantastic and absolutely amazing,’ said Rangers minis’ co-ordinator Nick Graham.
‘If this comes off, I think we’ll have the best facility in Guernsey for sure if not the Channel Islands.
‘We think our minis will go from strength to strength.
‘We want to use this whole project as a drive to recruit players and minis.’
The news that Rangers are looking to move away from their current St Andrew’s base will be met with great relief by the other clubs in the island.
The red-and-blacks have come under intense criticism this season for the standard of their current pitch that is widely regarded as the worst Priaulx surface in Guernsey.
Players have complained of cuts on their legs from stones in the pitch and in January their Priaulx match with St Martin’s was called off over fears for safety.
‘We had to use St Andrew’s but we had to move off there for the good of the club,’ said Gallienne.
‘It was always on a short-term basis that we would be there and with these plans in the pipe-line, we should have a first-class facility.’
Blanchelande principal Lesley Le Page explained that the land is owned by the Christian Brothers but is perpetually leased to the Catholic school.
Rangers minis have used the pitches in the past.
‘It’s always been successful as a partnership so when they brought the plans to do a new pitch and since the Christian Brothers who own the land gave their blessing, we were very happy to go ahead,’ said Mrs Le Page.
Article posted on 15th March, 2007 - 12.00am
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