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VCD Athletic to close down

Henry Irving
Henry Irving Posts: 86,067
in Other Football and Sports
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Comments

  • Arsenetatters
    Arsenetatters Posts: 6,257
    That's sad. Lovely ground
  • guinnessaddick
    guinnessaddick Posts: 29,991
    edited April 16
    Shame, was my home ground in the 80’s nice pitches and clubhouse.
  • superdulvertonred
    superdulvertonred Posts: 1,218
    That’s a real shame
  • ValleyGary
    ValleyGary Posts: 38,494
    edited April 16
    Absolutely shocking. My mates are managers there at the moment, waiting to hear what’s gone on.

    edit: new owner didn’t want to do business with the chairman and hasn’t renewed the lease. A brilliant little ground, what’s he gonna do with that.
  • Pelham123
    Pelham123 Posts: 392
    Vickers Crayford Dartford Athletic finished. What a shame. The last link to the once mighty Vickers works in Crayford now gone.
  • ValleyGary
    ValleyGary Posts: 38,494
    Played there and had some amazing times, my dad used to stand at the bar and drink with the regulars. Made me go cold.
  • Kap10
    Kap10 Posts: 15,773
    ValleyGary said:
    Absolutely shocking. My mates are managers there at the moment, waiting to hear what’s gone on.

    edit: new owner didn’t want to do business with the chairman and hasn’t renewed the lease. A brilliant little ground, what’s he gonna do with that.
    Building redevelopment, I'd guess
  • EastTerrace
    EastTerrace Posts: 4,038
    Terrible news. 

    Trying to find some more details, I read an old report where plans were put forward to build 4 houses years ago, but was turned down by Bexley Council as the land couldn’t be built on.
    Be Interesting and probably sad to see what the plans are.
  • northstandsteve
    northstandsteve Posts: 14,380
    Also rumoured that could be turned into a Kabaddi sports ground

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  • ValleyGary
    ValleyGary Posts: 38,494
    ValleyGary said:
    Yep, Indian consortium bought it last year and want development permission 

    It might be pointless, but the local MP should get involved in this, the fact that a club from 1916 can just get chucked out because a rich cunt can buy the land is a disgrace.
    I say this, but let’s be honest,’the council are licking their lips at this. Rotten.
  • AFKABartram
    AFKABartram Posts: 58,823
    Absolutely gutted about this. Played for VCD for a couple of years and probably the most I enjoyed playing football. Great little club with a long history. 

    Gary the Chairman runs the Garage / MOT centre in Blackfen and is a good bloke. 

    Surely something must be done to campaign against the new owner..
  • soapy_jones
    soapy_jones Posts: 21,645
    Sad reflection on the English game.
  • InspectorSands
    InspectorSands Posts: 5,254
    That's tragic. 
  • InspectorSands
    InspectorSands Posts: 5,254
    EastTerrace said:
    Terrible news. 

    Trying to find some more details, I read an old report where plans were put forward to build 4 houses years ago, but was turned down by Bexley Council as the land couldn’t be built on.
    Be Interesting and probably sad to see what the plans are.
    I've had a quick look at Bexley's planning register and there haven't been any plans for housing submitted there (at least looking under "Oakwood Sports Ground" and the postcode DA1 4DN). The last plan published was for a timber-framed tennis pavilion, which was approved in 2019. 

    An online land registry search (costs seven quid, £14 if you want a plan too) will indicate if there are any covenants. 
  • fenaddick
    fenaddick Posts: 18,191
    Wonder what's happening with the bowls and tennis clubs too, its a big social hub beyond VCD Athletic
  • ValleyGary
    ValleyGary Posts: 38,494
    edited April 16
    fenaddick said:
    Wonder what's happening with the bowls and tennis clubs too, its a big social hub beyond VCD Athletic
    They’re staying apparently 

    My mate who’s manager said that it’s classed as ‘metropolitan land’ which can cause a problem for them. Like I say, I’m sure the council will do what they can 🙄
  • fenaddick
    fenaddick Posts: 18,191
    ValleyGary said:
    fenaddick said:
    Wonder what's happening with the bowls and tennis clubs too, its a big social hub beyond VCD Athletic
    They’re staying apparently 
    Good. Limits what the landlord can do too, especially as access is relatively poor from memory
  • Swindon_Addick
    Swindon_Addick Posts: 1,957
    They were great hosts for the women's team at a time when we needed to borrow a non-league ground to have somewhere as a base to go after promotion to the second tier. Nice bar, decent burgers, what more could you ask for? Very sad.
  • EastTerrace
    EastTerrace Posts: 4,038
    InspectorSands said:
    EastTerrace said:
    Terrible news. 

    Trying to find some more details, I read an old report where plans were put forward to build 4 houses years ago, but was turned down by Bexley Council as the land couldn’t be built on.
    Be Interesting and probably sad to see what the plans are.
    I've had a quick look at Bexley's planning register and there haven't been any plans for housing submitted there (at least looking under "Oakwood Sports Ground" and the postcode DA1 4DN). The last plan published was for a timber-framed tennis pavilion, which was approved in 2019. 

    An online land registry search (costs seven quid, £14 if you want a plan too) will indicate if there are any covenants. 
    I think this is what I read, just seen it’s from 1999….

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  • northstandsteve
    northstandsteve Posts: 14,380
    edited April 16
    https://kabaddiuk.co.uk/ewskc/

    Wouldn’t be surprised if these are the landlords or involved with them. The Chairman owns Manak Solicitors . When I say chairman I mean from Erith and Woolwich Kabaddi club. I did a load of gear for them last year and Manak sponsor the whole of Orpington FC.
  • ValleyGary
    ValleyGary Posts: 38,494
    fenaddick said:
    ValleyGary said:
    fenaddick said:
    Wonder what's happening with the bowls and tennis clubs too, its a big social hub beyond VCD Athletic
    They’re staying apparently 
    Good. Limits what the landlord can do too, especially as access is relatively poor from memory
    Access is awful, they’d have to go through a car park and narrow entrance, between the clubhouse and bowls green. Then it slopes down into a valley. Not sure how flats/houses would work even tho theirs huge land there. There’s no alternative entrance either.
  • InspectorSands
    InspectorSands Posts: 5,254
    EastTerrace said:
    InspectorSands said:
    EastTerrace said:
    Terrible news. 

    Trying to find some more details, I read an old report where plans were put forward to build 4 houses years ago, but was turned down by Bexley Council as the land couldn’t be built on.
    Be Interesting and probably sad to see what the plans are.
    I've had a quick look at Bexley's planning register and there haven't been any plans for housing submitted there (at least looking under "Oakwood Sports Ground" and the postcode DA1 4DN). The last plan published was for a timber-framed tennis pavilion, which was approved in 2019. 

    An online land registry search (costs seven quid, £14 if you want a plan too) will indicate if there are any covenants. 
    I think this is what I read, just seen it’s from 1999….
    Blimey, that's a blast from the past, the Shopper when it was actually had reporters who covered that kind of thing! 

    Metropolitan Open Land is pretty much the same as the Green Belt - so in theory, very hard to build on. But when councils are under pressure to allow housing, that can change...
  • killerandflash
    killerandflash Posts: 71,708
    Very sad news. A bit surprising that they've just thrown in the towel though. Can't they groundshare elsewhere, anywhere, while fighting to get back?

    Or at least get the story out a bit earlier, to try and get some help from the council, rather than just announcing it as a done deed?
  • ValleyGary
    ValleyGary Posts: 38,494
    killerandflash said:
    Very sad news. A bit surprising that they've just thrown in the towel though. Can't they groundshare elsewhere, anywhere, while fighting to get back?

    Or at least get the story out a bit earlier, to try and get some help from the council, rather than just announcing it as a done deed?
    They asked to ground share with Phoenix and they said no 
  • charlton4ever
    charlton4ever Posts: 1,829
    That is sad. Lovely non league ground. Enjoyed watching our Women's team there. Pitch always looked fantastic. Always made to feel welcome. 
  • Elthamaddick
    Elthamaddick Posts: 16,316
    sad news, played there on more than one occasion - going back to when the pitch was at the totally different angle to how it is now. Cracking little ground and nice bar
  • golfaddick
    golfaddick Posts: 35,720
    Played there in the late 80's & early 90's (not for VCD I may add).

    Shame to see it go.......but houses (if that is what the land will he used for) are desperately needed. 
  • Radostanradical
    Radostanradical Posts: 1,214
    Is this real? I only ask as its dated 16 May 2026?

    Also I wouldn't put too much hope into permission beong blocked or the land being unsuitable. The council is desperate for more housing and have doubts permission to build will be given especially seeing its a relatively built up area. Having been involved in similar deals previously the land will be perfectly fine to build on. I way the developers will get around the bowls/tennis club issue is they will deliberately make parking/access more difficult to make the prospects of the other entiities less economically viable and then buy that land too.
  • Chris_from_Sidcup
    Chris_from_Sidcup Posts: 37,113
    Radostanradical said:
    Is this real? I only ask as its dated 16 May 2026?

    Also I wouldn't put too much hope into permission beong blocked or the land being unsuitable. The council is desperate for more housing and have doubts permission to build will be given especially seeing its a relatively built up area. Having been involved in similar deals previously the land will be perfectly fine to build on. I way the developers will get around the bowls/tennis club issue is they will deliberately make parking/access more difficult to make the prospects of the other entiities less economically viable and then buy that land too.
    Pretty sure it's just a typo and they put May instead of April as yesterday was 16 April.

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