Widdow
Vital 1st Team Regular
Nottingham Forest's new owners have quickly proved their intention to build bridges with supporters – by giving their approval to an application to register the City Ground as a community asset.
Both new owner Evangelos Marinakis and recently appointed chairman Nicholas Randall have spoken at length about their desire to give Reds fans a voice and an influence in the future running of the club.
And the club have backed up those words almost immediately by giving their support to the Supporters' Trust's efforts to secure the Championship club's stadium as a community asset.
The process to make that happen actually began under the tenure of Fawaz Al Hasawi, when the motivation was to ensure the City Ground could not be sold off during a chaotic period in the club's history.
But it now feels like a far more unified, positive development – and the first sign of the club's intention to work alongside their fanbase. for the City Ground is set to be registered as a community asset
Once registered as a community asset, it would ensure the City Ground could not be sold over the next five years, without supporters being able to have an influence on the stadium's future.
"Nottingham Forest Football Club is pleased to confirm that it has informed the relevant authorities that it supports the application made by the Nottingham Forest Supporters' Trust to register the City Ground as a Community Asset," said a club statement.
"It follows an application made by the Supporters' Trust in April 2017. The Trust asked the council to use new powers granted by the Localism Act. The listing lasts for five years and any owner of the property has to notify the council of an intention to sell the freehold or a lease with longer than 25 years to run.
"Community groups then have six weeks to decide whether they would like to express an interest in bidding for the property. If they do, the owner is not able to sell for six months to anyone else, although they don't have to sell to the community group.
"The Club looks forward to working alongside the Trust and other supporter groups on other initiatives in due course."
New Forest chairman Nicholas Randall hopes to see the club strengthen relations with fans
Elliott Stanley, the recently elected chairman of the Supporters' Trust, welcomed the move and believes it is a positive sign that a healthier relationship can be forged between the club and fans.
"The most significant thing about this is that it sends out the message from the club that they mean it when they say they are serious about engaging with fans and giving us a voice," said Stanley.
"It was probably with very different intentions when we first submitted this application. But to have the new owners embrace this immediately is a positive sign, when it comes to their attitude and desire to engage.
"It is not just about engaging with the Trust either, it is about engaging with the whole fan base and with the broader community as a whole and rebuilding some bridges within the city. It feels positive."
Both new owner Evangelos Marinakis and recently appointed chairman Nicholas Randall have spoken at length about their desire to give Reds fans a voice and an influence in the future running of the club.
And the club have backed up those words almost immediately by giving their support to the Supporters' Trust's efforts to secure the Championship club's stadium as a community asset.
The process to make that happen actually began under the tenure of Fawaz Al Hasawi, when the motivation was to ensure the City Ground could not be sold off during a chaotic period in the club's history.
But it now feels like a far more unified, positive development – and the first sign of the club's intention to work alongside their fanbase. for the City Ground is set to be registered as a community asset
Once registered as a community asset, it would ensure the City Ground could not be sold over the next five years, without supporters being able to have an influence on the stadium's future.
"Nottingham Forest Football Club is pleased to confirm that it has informed the relevant authorities that it supports the application made by the Nottingham Forest Supporters' Trust to register the City Ground as a Community Asset," said a club statement.
"It follows an application made by the Supporters' Trust in April 2017. The Trust asked the council to use new powers granted by the Localism Act. The listing lasts for five years and any owner of the property has to notify the council of an intention to sell the freehold or a lease with longer than 25 years to run.
"Community groups then have six weeks to decide whether they would like to express an interest in bidding for the property. If they do, the owner is not able to sell for six months to anyone else, although they don't have to sell to the community group.
"The Club looks forward to working alongside the Trust and other supporter groups on other initiatives in due course."
New Forest chairman Nicholas Randall hopes to see the club strengthen relations with fans
Elliott Stanley, the recently elected chairman of the Supporters' Trust, welcomed the move and believes it is a positive sign that a healthier relationship can be forged between the club and fans.
"The most significant thing about this is that it sends out the message from the club that they mean it when they say they are serious about engaging with fans and giving us a voice," said Stanley.
"It was probably with very different intentions when we first submitted this application. But to have the new owners embrace this immediately is a positive sign, when it comes to their attitude and desire to engage.
"It is not just about engaging with the Trust either, it is about engaging with the whole fan base and with the broader community as a whole and rebuilding some bridges within the city. It feels positive."
