BASINGSTOKE Town chairman Rafi Razzak is not about to walk away from his beloved football club, despite the fact he feels he has failed in his dream to give the town a new football stadium it deserves.

Razzak has been chairman of the Basingstoke Town for the past 15 years. Since taking over his one aim has been to make the football club sustainable and having a new community stadium was a key part of the plan going forward.

This would have almost certainly safe guarded the club for the future and so this leaves Razzak very frustrated.

However, having been give a site to build what would have been a superb facility for the whole town. His plans failed to find their final goal, as the Basingstoke and Deane Brough Council decided to reject the proposal use of the land west of the Hilton Hotel.

Razzak said: “We had a dream as a football club and this has been taken away so I have to say I have failed to deliver the dream.

“It does baffle me how the councillors came to decision as it would not have cost the taxpayers of Basingstoke anything.

“It would have been an excellent facility for all the people of the town, not just the football club. This was the aim and it would have be something really good for the town.”

Razzak added: “We had work with the council for 15 years and co-operated fully and we are still happy to talk to them about any other future sites they may feel would suit the football club.”

The council originally outlined three sites for the a new ground, this being the Leisure Park which was then withdrawn, Gresley Road, now the home of Network Rail and the land west of the Hilton. In the end cross-party private meetings have left them with no site at all.

This now leaves Basingstoke Town in a difficult position going forward, as there is only a 30 year lease left on the Camrose, so making to difficult to attract the investors needed to redevelop their existing ground.

The club are looking at all the options, including a ground share with another club. This could be with maybe Eastleigh or Aldershot, as they are the closest teams to Basingstoke, but it would be a great shame for the town as well as the Dragons if they had to move out of Basingstoke.

In summing up Razzak said: “I am very grateful to everyone who has supported and worked so hard for this club. I hope a solution can be found that ensures Basingstoke Town can continue to thrive and play a big part in the community of the town.”