West Brom fans supported by local MP in bid to protect The Hawthorns, ‘legacy must be secured’
Amid worry over finances and West Brom owner Guochuan Lai, fans have applied to have The Hawthorns be listed as an Asset of Community Value.
West Brom fans made sure their protests against Lai were noticed last week, with fans lighting up The Hawthorns during the win against Blackpool just days after they applied to protect their beloved home ground from being sold. [Express & Star]
Lai’s running of the club has been widely criticised by plans, and amid worries that the stadium could be sold to try and make up for his debt, fans applied for the stadium to be considered an ACV (Asset of Community Value) – a plea that has been backed by Conservative MP Nicola Richards.
Richards, who is the West Bromwich East MP, was quoted by the Express & Star speaking to the Sandwell Council: “This legacy must be secured for generations to come.
“I hope Sandwell Council will approve the ACV of this vital piece of community infrastructure.”
Community effort
For so many around West Bromwich, The Hawthorns is a second home and the 26,850-seater stadium is a hub of the community.
The ownership of the club under Lai has been extremely worrying and after witnessing what has previously happened to clubs such as Derby County and Bury in recent seasons, Baggies supporters should be proud of how proactive the fanbase has been in protecting the club.
Ruling out a sale of the stadium would be a huge statement from the fans in their ongoing protest against Lai, and hopefully the club is swiftly taken over by someone more considerate of the club and its supporters.
Protests will continue to ring around The Hawthorns as the season progresses, and while the fans and players stand solely behind new manager Carlos Corberan, the board’s incompetence has to be addressed and exposed.
Regardless of on-pitch performances, Lai’s shambolic ownership will remain a talking point among West Brom fans until he decides to sell up and move on.
In other West Brom news, midfielder John Swift named in Championship Team of the Week