Deal secures Scunthorpe United’s Glanford Park future

A deal has been completed for Glanford Park which is set to secure Scunthorpe United’s future at the ground and bring forward new homes and employment development.Glanford Park has been bought by a community interest company, The New Show Ground CIC from former owner Peter Swann.The ground and surrounding land has been secured with some private backing from supporters with the majority being Government funding through the Town Deal Fund.As part of the deal, about 100 jobs are expected to be created from developments around the ground, together with up to 150 homes for older residents and people with complex needs on an area which already has outline planning permission.Early plans are in place for new employment space in the leisure and health and wellbeing sectors.The deal follows the takeover of Scunthorpe United by local businesswoman Michelle Harness in October.Harness, said: “Wanting to bring Glanford Park back to Scunthorpe United supporters and the community was the reason I stood up in the first place, along with the board of directors. To all of us, it’s why we’ve been working hard every day and every night. It means a lot to the Board, it means a lot to me, and I know hugely that it means a lot to the fans.”Going forward, we need to continue to tackle the extreme levels of debt that were left with the club when we took custodian. Donations from local businesses and people around the town have been totally humbling, and it shows how desperate everyone in the area has been to keep their beloved football club going.”All of the additional money that we’ve been able to get in is helping to pay off our debt and get us one step closer to being more sustainable as a football club, which we are striving to do every day.”The board of The New Show Ground CIC will be made up of club officials, community representatives, the council and fans.Holly Mumby-Croft, MP for Scunthorpe and vice chair of the Towns Fund Board, added: “This deal represents a bright new future for club, for the community and for our town – it has been backed by government cash.”Securing the ground as Scunthorpe United’s home will be a welcome relief to fans who now know that the team will always be able to play at Glanford Park.”We have had meetings with the club and with Government to get the right deal in place to make sure the community is a key part of developing a new sustainable future. Glanford Park not being in the hands of any one single person was critical to securing that new future.”Law firm Wildcat Law acted for the board of Scunthorpe United FC. Co-founder Tahina Akther said: “I am ecstatic that we’ve managed to secure the future of the club in such a short space of time, particularly given the complexities involved with the way the club was previously structured. It would not have been possible without a number of local businesspeople providing much needed financing.”Taking the step to hold the stadium in a CIC is a bold move that puts the fans and the community in the driving seat. We are already speaking to representatives of other clubs regarding how they might follow this example. Getting this over the line was always going to be a challenge but I am delighted for the fans that we’ve been able to make it happen and ensure the club can once again look to the future with hope.”I am excited to be part of that journey which will hopefully see Scunthorpe United back in the higher tiers of the football league, nurturing the next generation of players and unearthing the next Kevin Keegan.”Scunthorpe United are currently second in the National League North.