Pitchero Non League

....long lease with their landlord.

Shields have hired their ground from former chairman John Rundle, who put the whole set up on the market four months ago.

Shields had been trying to raise enough cash to purchase it themselves, but they couldn’t raise enough financial backing, and Rundle terminated the arrangement. However, he has had a change of heart as the club intensified their efforts in recent weeks, and they can now play on the ground for the full season.

Shields secretary Phil Reay said: “We have been given permission to play on the ground for the full season, while we work towards raising enough funds to purchase it. We’re very grateful to John Rundle for agreeing to it.

“We have already raised a lot of money thanks to the backing of our local MP David Milliband, and our bank, but we need to raise another £40,000, which we’re hopeful of doing.

“We’d like to thank the clubs who offered us a possible groundshare, like Tow Law Town, Bedlington Terriers and Durham City amongst others. Some clubs even rang up and said that they’d love to help us, but weren’t in a position to do so.

“It also means that we can go out and sign some players now, because they’ve been sitting on the fence, wondering what’s going on.”

Shields’ first home game of the season is next Saturday, against Darlington RA in the Extra Preliminary Round of the FA Cup.

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