Kick in the grass for football fans?
MK Dons' fans may have to wait even longer to see their team play at the Denbigh North Stadium.
Club chairman Pete Winkelman – still smarting from the rejection of his Inter MK bid for the National Bowl earlier in the week – said yesterday the 50m stadium definitely will be built by Christmas.
But, he said, the date when the team – rock bottom of League One – play the first match there is 'a matter of debate'.
The Citizen understands the club, which was due to play its first game at the ground in August this year, is now planning to open the turnstiles at Denbigh at the beginning of the 2007/08 season.
But Mr Winkelman would not confirm this.
"It is not exactly true yet," he said. "But when we move into it is still a matter of debate. We need to get nearer the time because it is not just a football decision – it is a Milton Keynes decision."
There have been a string of suggested opening dates,
including Christmas 2005; the start of the 2006/07 season this August; and Christmas 2006.
Now it could be put back to August 2007.
A grand opening of the venue is also being considered to coincide with Milton Keynes' 40th anniversary celebrations, and he said he was working with 100 voluntary organisations on the project. An opening at the start of the season, rather than mid-way through, has been seen by many as a more preferable
option.
John Brockwell, chairman of the MK Dons Supporters Association, said: "If the club is doing well you would want to move in because you get bigger attendances, but if you are doing badly you don't want to move in because you won't be able to fill the stadium. But that is a personal opinion."
richard.cooper@mkcitizen.co.uk
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Thursday 09 February 2012
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