Fresh hope for Chipping Norton football club to return home

A meeting at the town hall heard how ‘strong’ criminal and civil cases are being put together against those who BBC Panorama revealed to have ‘asset-stripped’ the club out of their home.

Tym Soper, from Chipping Norton Town Football Club, said it is ‘not an impossibility’ that they could play at the abandoned Walterbush Road ground again.

He said they were unlikely to get back any of the money that was lost in the dealings with Minotaur and Glyn Jones, but they may get the land if they can prove the transaction was illegal.

Following the meeting on January 31, a committee will be set up to look at the potential of issuing subpoenas to get more evidence before presenting a case to the police.

Should that fail, then a civil case could be brought but that could cost as much as £200,000.

Many at the meeting threw their support behind a potential fundraising appeal should it be needed to get the club back home, with a few already saying they would donate.

Mayor Don Davidson said that should fundraising be needed: “I’m guessing, which is always a dangerous thing to do, but I’m guessing you can get the support of Chipping Norton town.”

The meeting also discussed the chance of finding documented proof that ashes had been scattered on the pitch, which would scupper any attempts to build on it.

The Panorama documentary revealed how the club had lost potentially millions of pounds and their ground after using debt management firms ran by Mr Jones, similarly to other clubs across the country. Mr Jones has denied all of the allegations.