Newark: Former Lilley and Stone School site on London Road suggested for Newark FC's new football stadium

A devoted football fan believes he has found the ideal solution to keep Newark FC in the town ­— building a stadium facility on the former Lilley and Stone School site.

Steve Crane has been hunting the area for potential sites for the town’s top football club, which has had to leave Lowfields after being priced out by the landowner.

Fans now face a 50-mile round-trip to Basford where the Highwaymen are ground-sharing next season.

But Steve says the Lilley and Stone site is the perfect home venue of the future, and he believes it’s achievable if people are willing to meet him at halfway.

The London Road site, which has extensive land previously used for sport at the rear, has been empty since Newark Academy moved to one site in Balderton.

Its trustees have said they will discuss Steve’s proposal.

Steve, who fronted a campaign to launch a community trust to save Lowfields, said: “I’ve been travelling around looking for an area that could be developed into a stadium to replace Lowfields.

“There are at least five places but, in my honest opinion, Lilley and Stone is the one.

“It’s in the town centre, walking distance for most fans but also with bus and train links that could serve some of the away teams.

“Having the ground there could actually increase Newark FC’s following as well as breathing new life in to the town at the weekends.

“There aren’t many green spaces in the centre of town certainly that could support a football stadium, but Lilley and Stone is one.

“The land exists and there’s already a 3G football pitch there that’s badly in need of repair. We’ve still got our floodlights and supporters’ stand in storage so there’s a lot less to do.”

Steve said the land and buildings could be split, allowing for sporting use while protecting the frontage’s listed status, adding perhaps a footballing academy could use the classrooms.

“There would be grants available from sport and football governing bodies, from the heritage people to protect the buildings. There’s enough space there for the football club and for the tennis club (which plays there) to expand too,” he said. “To my mind, this is achievable if people come on board.”

After their most successful season to-date, Newark FC, formerly Flowserve, were dealt a hammer blow when a Swiss-based property developer seeking to build homes on a large portion of the Flowserve factory site gave notice of intent not to renew the club’s lease.

More than 600 people signed the petition to save Lowfields.

Malcolm Ellison, accountant to the Lilley and Stone Trust, confirmed Steve had been in touch with his proposal and it would go before the trustees.

He said the future of the site was still to be determined.