Southern League club Poole Town reveal ambitious plans for a new stadium, described to be ‘similar’ to the one used by AFC Bournemouth.
It’s expected that the Dolphins’ new home, will be built in a similar style to the newly promotion outfit’s ground according to Poole Director, Andy Rossiter, with the hope of it reaching a similar capacity of 12,000.
Plans have been drawn up for what is hoped to be the end of an difficult time for Poole, after not having a permanent home of their own since being kicked out of Poole Stadium as long as 28 years ago.
⚽️ Poole Town aim to build a new stadium with scope to be “similar to” AFC Bournemouth’s
🏟️ Capacity circa 6,000
🏗️ Scope for 10-12,000
🩺 Potential to include leisure, community & healthcare facilities
❌ It won’t involve/be on the site of Poole StadiumSee this week’s NLP pic.twitter.com/Lrz61XktaK
— Andy Mitchell (@sirandymitchell) June 19, 2022
Rossiter confirms that once planning permission had been given the green light, the stadium would be built in a number of phases, firstly a main stand potentially housing NHS healthcare facilities, before then turning focus onto rooms for educational and social purposes.
Speaking to the Daily Echo, Rossiter stated: “The new ground will be built similar to Dean Court, but in stages.
“It will be built in phases, as per requirements, depending on what league we’re in, and what investment is coming in.
“The ambition is to become a Football League club, so we need a ground suitable for that level.”
Total costs of the project is expected to be worth “around the £10 million mark”, but for this to be successful, Poole have begun talk with numerous investors.
“It is fair to say that one of those investors might be the council themselves. There is the opportunity for a community stadium with public healthcare facilities, learning classrooms and that sort of stuff.
“We’ll be driven by the council, what they feel their needs are, and what would benefit the people of Poole.”
10,000 and 12,000 is the expected capacity, though that depends on the amount of investment put into it and the level of football Poole find themselves at in years to come.
The club currently play home matches at temporarily based at Tatnam Farm, a makeshift solution on a school field since October 2000.
They subsequently built a permanent barrier around the pitch, hardstanding, floodlights, dugouts, a small club shop, tea hut, licensed bar and an £80,000 stand which allowed them to be promoted into the Wessex League First Division.
By 2018, the ground has seen a number of upgrades, with Poole competing near the top of the National League South in their first season, but were dealt a blow as they were ruled ineligible for promotion due to a lack of 500 covered seats in their stadium. Poole went on to finish fifth, which would have otherwise qualified for the playoffs.
Poole then struggled throughout the 2017-18 season, and found themselves on the final day as one of two teams fighting to stave off the final drop spot—along with the other team also passed over for the previous season’s playoffs, Hungerford Town. A 2–0 Poole win over Oxford City gave them hope, but ultimately Hungerford’s narrow 1–0 win at East Thurrock United meant relegation back down to the Southern League South for the 2018–19 season.
Since then, they’ve played in the Southern League Premier Division South. The lease on their current ground runs out in December 2024, but they remain in talks over a potential extension that would allow them to construct their new stadium.
Dolphins have ambitions of becoming a Football League side, but any rise up the divisions would massively require a new home.
With there are some Poole supporters feeling frustrated at being kept in the dark surrounding the project, Rossiter stressed that there was a real sense of confidence and excitement in the boardroom.
“It is within touching distance, you can almost feel it,” he added.
“It’s that close.
“For the fans, it has been a long time coming. Too many false dawns, and we’ve got to deliver on this.”
A few more details from today’s news that expanded upon Monday’s story:
⚽️ Poole Town’s new ground ‘similar’ but not identical to #afcb‘s current home
⚽️ To be built in phases, dependent on league and investment#nonleague #COYD #APAW https://t.co/1XY3uCjkq8— Jack Tanner 🏴 (@EchoSportJack) June 19, 2022
Fans reacted as the Southern League club reveal plans for a new stadium ‘similar’ to the one used by AFC Bournemouth…
@afcbbeachboy: I would love to see it but it’s pure utter fantasy, never going to happen imo. Surely the answer is for the council to find some land where Poole and AFCB could share a ground .
@ryan_woolnough: This is going to end up looking like Hayes. Build one huge stand and that’s it. @coreyeaton97 will tell you how fun that is
@coreyeaton97: Exactly what I thought when I read this. Look how that ended up with us, modern stadiums are garbage these days!
@NickStoreyNo1: In close proximity to Poole town centre?? The site in which they proposed the creek moor secondary school opposite the park and ride??
@NickStoreyNo1:
If it’s back out in canford magna i reckon it will cause a massive issue with the majority of regular fans choosing to walk to the ground to have a few beers with the football? Just hope so much that its near the town centre. A club for the town needs to be in the town!!
@bobsully47: They only get 250 people watching them…..
@dan15w: Little old poole have rattled chez fan base. Unreal
@ptfcafcb: Get it done 🐬
@sunnydls: Just beg it’s not Canford Magna
@natanliro: How are they planning on filling that out? 😂
@jamiesargentt: No way Poole Town (7th tier) might end up having a bigger ground than Bournemouth (Premier League)
@afcbmatt237: @jeffmostyn does it bother you that a non league local team could potentially have a bigger ground then us #afcb
@GF_PTFC: Exciting times ahead for @PooleTownFC
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