VINCE MCBEAN VOWS HIS CLAPTON FC WILL FIGHT ON

Vince McBean has vowed that his Clapton FC side will fight on – both on and off the pitch – despite being told their bid to lease the Old Spotted Dog has been unsuccessful.

Mr McBean’s club was locked out of the historic ground in the summer by the freeholders Star Pubs & Bars who said they had been unable to contact the leaseholders for the best part of two years over unpaid rent.

Clapton FC, Hackney Wick and Clapton Community FC all submitted bids to Star Pubs & Bars to take on the lease and the announcement on Tuesday came that member-owned Clapton CFC was successful after a ‘thorough and evidence-based’ process.

On Wednesday night, Mr McBean and Essex Senior League chairman Lee Dorling held a meeting with the players and coaches to talk about the next steps.

Mr McBean vowed that Clapton FC would carry on playing and that he and Mr Dorling are working flat out to secure a new ground with several clubs offering to help out already.

It was mentioned that due to FA rules this needed to be signed off within five weeks – the end of October. However, Mr Dorling suggested he could appeal to the FA for an extension to the deadline.

Off the pitch, Mr McBean pledged to appeal to Heineken (parent company of Star Pubs & Bars) about the decision and had spoken to three sets of lawyers already.

He also said he would lobby Newham Council at an upcoming council meeting to try to convince them to back his bid.