HAMILTON ACADEMICAL have confirmed plans to leave New Douglas Park and move to Cumbernauld’s Broadwood Stadium next season.
The club will learn the outcome of an appeal against a 15-point deduction imposed by the SPFL when an SFA Appelate Tribunal convenes at 5pm today.
Also embroiled in a lengthy dispute with the owners of their home since 2001 negotiations over the purchase of New Douglas Park ended without agreement. Describing their time as tenants of the stadium as ‘thoroughly unsatisfactory’ the Lanarkshire club have also rejected the draft terms on offer to extend their lease.
While co-tenants Clyde intend to remain at New Douglas Park for ‘the foreseeable future’, John Rankin’s side will move 15 miles to play at Broadwood – Clyde’s former home.
Announcing that talks are underway with South Lanarkshire Council over a potential site for a new stadium in Hamilton, Accies confirmed plans to play in Cumbernauld in a statement from chairman Jock Brown.
“The board has considered carefully the proposal published by the stadium owner and communicated to the media in respect of the club continuing to occupy New Douglas Park.
“The proposal cannot be accepted on the terms stated. In the first instance the balance in respect of the funds accruing between the parties over the past twenty-two months is substantially in favour of the club, so any postponement of settlement of the appropriate balance is inappropriate. The club is not indebted to the owner.
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“Second, the terms of the only new draft lease provided so far are also unacceptable.
“Third, the club’s experience of being tenants over the past twenty-two months has been thoroughly unsatisfactory.
“It is correct that the club has been trying to purchase the company which owns the stadium (the seller’s preferred way of completing the transaction) over a period in excess of a year.
“The necessary funds are available. However, the owner has failed for a period of several months to produce the due diligence information routinely sought in a transaction of this kind and has made it clear that necessary warranties will not be forthcoming.
“In such circumstances any purchase would be irresponsible and has thus been rendered unachievable.
“At the eleventh hour a new proposal was made by the seller involving the purchase of the stadium as a property asset, but the board has made the unanimous decision to reject this proposal on the same basis at the original proposal, namely that acceptance of the terms involved would not be in the best interests of the club.”
Currently the home of Cumbernauld Colts of the Scottish Lowland League and the Rangers women’s team, Broadwood was the home stadium of Clyde between 1994 and 2022 and Open Goal Broomhill in 2022-23.
“Arrangements have now been made to relocate the club from the start of next season to Broadwood Stadium in Cumbernauld,’ confirmed Brown, “with the long-term aim of building a new stadium in Hamilton. Discussions with South Lanarkshire Council have started in order to identify a suitable location.
“The board is now carefully considering several innovative options around fan engagement and season ticket support relating to the relocation.”
