Wadham Lodge return no certainty, warns Ryman League

The Ryman one north club is “95 per cent” sure that league officials will not block its historic move back to Wadham Lodge, in Kitchener Road.

But this week the chairman of the Ryman League called the plan to end two years of exile in Redbridge “by no means certain.”

Alan Turvey told Guardian Series Sport: “A lot of things are being considered.

“The point is that they (Forest FC) are already in a groundshare agreement with Ilford FC.

“They have made an application, but the situation is not as straight-forward as it seems.”

The sticking point is that Wadham Lodge is not currently in a fit state to pass an inspection by the Ryman League.

The club is now in a race against time to finish renovation and improvement works in time for inspection day on August 14.

Works have been stepped up at the Wadham Lodge complex in a bid beat the deadline, by owner’s Matchday Centres.

The stakes are high for Forest.

Failure to get approval from the League would scupper the move back into the borough of Waltham Forest, from Cricklefield in Ilford.

Adding to the present uncertainty is an administration mishap which saw forms submitted late.

Club secretary Andy Perkins has been at the heart of the club for years.

He opposes advice by the league to abandon the move. He is sure that Wadham Lodge can be made to conform to regulations in time.

“The league are being a bit vague. They say we should use Ilford.”

“But we would not go back there for another year. We could go there for one or two matches while work is finished.

“I’m 95 per cent certain the league will okay it” said Perkins of the move. “They are always thinking about what message a thing sends out to other clubs.

“In the end, the League are reasonable people.”

Chairman Turvey echoed those words, but added a caveat.

“We want to help a club whenever we can” he said. “But that must be according to the rules of the competition.

“We need the full facts. We want to ensure everything is done properly.”