Letter: Liversedge FC reply to Colin Berry

I hope this will help clear up misunderstandings.

You may not remember the race riots of 1996, when hosting a Spen Valley final between Savile Town Youth and Hightown resulted in riots breaking out.

Quaker Lane was blocked preventing police access.

Stone throwing, fighting with wooden clubs, breaking of windscreens and local neighbours windows being smashed resulted in terrified spectators and children.

When the police finally broke through, several arrests were made under the Public Order Offences Act.

The Spenborough Guardian covered the incident, as did the television networks.

Both ITV and BBC did nationwide reports and all major papers covered the sorry incident.

This is why two vehicles must be able to pass on the lane, be it fire engines or ambulances.

The club sincerely hope that this will not happen again, however we cannot guarantee it.

Yes, the club does fill in pot holes.

However, we have been told by Kirklees Council that the club has no authority on the lane and our business finishes at the gate.

Gomersal and Cleckheaton - our partners - have been promised land to develop into pitches and a training area by Kirklees Council.

This depends on a new access. When the shareholders bought the club, it was for “security of tenure” to obtain grants. Kirklees stated it can only be used as a football pitch for Liversedge and friends.

This means for the next 60 years it will be a soccer pitch. It needs sorting now!

Under the new proposal, Quaker Lane will be a private road for residents only.

The club traffic will have no access via the lane.

We think this must be better than the present situation.

Sent in by Liversedge FC committee.