MA Hawks Football Club left in limbo over proposed Thebarton Oval lease

[C U Next Saturday]

https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/sou ... fc3b19476d


A western suburbs soccer club fears it will lose its longstanding home once the proposed Adelaide Football Club lease agreement for the Thebarton Oval Precinct goes ahead.
MA Hawks Football Club says it has been left in the dark over how West Torrens Council’s negotiations with the AFL Club would affect it.

On Monday night, elected members voted 7-5 on Monday night for the $85m project to proceed, despite several acknowledging the council was in caretaker mode for the council elections.

The precinct’s Kings Reserve has been home to the South Australian Amateur Soccer League’s men’s club for 20 years.

“We may lose our home – Kings Reserve reflects our club,” president Peter Bouras said.

“On a home game we can vary from 100 to 300 spectators.”

Mr Bouras said he had little information as to what impact the proposal for the Crows to lease the area would have on his club.

“No one has spoken to me directly about the proposed Adelaide Football Club plans,” he said.

Under the plans, there would be two ovals that the Crows would use for training. The community would have access at other times.

Mr Bouras said it was unclear as to whether there would be room for his club to host games anymore.

But he did see some benefits to the redevelopment plan.

“Improving the surface conditions, improving the environment, cleaning it up and making it more aesthetically appealing is favourable,” he said.

He said the Hawks had previously submitted a request to the council to upgrade its facilities.

“We were looking at ways to expand and possibly bring in a junior program or a women’s league,” he said, adding that would have involved a second soccer pitch and new changerooms.

The Hawks had hoped its expansion bid would be part of a council masterplan for Kings Reserve, which Mr Bouras said was set aside due to the North-South Corridor project.

Despite fears of losing land to that project – and being unsure of the impact of the Crows’ intent to lease the precinct – he remained hopeful his club’s expansion might still be feasible.

The council declined to comment.

[dhoyle]

“On a home game we can vary from 100 to 300 spectators.”

From what I've seen, they have maybe 30 supporters, so they're relying on the away crowd to make up the other 70-270 for this to be true, and I don't think any Saturday Div 1 club brings 270, Pitbulls and Modbury leading the away crowd numbers by a mile and might have half of that.

Surely MA Hawks were on track to fold or become a single team club anyway. They did good food out of their tiny little clubroom though.

[Marinos]

“On a home game we can vary from 100 to 300 spectators.”

From what I've seen, they have maybe 30 supporters, so they're relying on the away crowd to make up the other 70-270 for this to be true, and I don't think any Saturday Div 1 club brings 270, Pitbulls and Modbury leading the away crowd numbers by a mile and might have half of that.

Surely MA Hawks were on track to fold or become a single team club anyway. They did good food out of their tiny little clubroom though.

They were down to a single team as recently as last year I thought.

They could truthfully have 10,000 coming to their home games and the Crows would still get their way.

The new masterplan siphons off all playable land for their second oval, and leaves only space for a 5 a side cage. Sad day but surely they just move like 10 blocks away to Western Youth Centre, under the same council.

[dhoyle]

“On a home game we can vary from 100 to 300 spectators.”

From what I've seen, they have maybe 30 supporters, so they're relying on the away crowd to make up the other 70-270 for this to be true, and I don't think any Saturday Div 1 club brings 270, Pitbulls and Modbury leading the away crowd numbers by a mile and might have half of that.

Surely MA Hawks were on track to fold or become a single team club anyway. They did good food out of their tiny little clubroom though.

They were down to a single team as recently as last year I thought.

They could truthfully have 10,000 coming to their home games and the Crows would still get their way.

The new masterplan siphons off all playable land for their second oval, and leaves only space for a 5 a side cage. Sad day but surely they just move like 10 blocks away to Western Youth Centre, under the same council.

I believe they lost a large chunk of their playing group in the off season. They were unable to field a C's this year, B's finished bottom with a -77 GD, and A's finished finished bottom with a -56 GD.

Western Youth Centre was used by ARBE this year - but they seem to move every year. It wouldn't be a bad move from them. Both grounds not great surfaces and have terrible parking, but better facility at WYC.

[John Cena]

its very interesting when the comets pulled away from them (raiders back then) they said you will not survive making your own club, who has had the last laugh know