News Archive > Sport > Lights won’t go out on St Dennis’ ground plans
Lights won’t go out on St Dennis’ ground plans
St Dennis are set to receive a further period of dispensation to erect floodlights at Boscawen Park, the Voice understands.
The Clay Country outfit were admitted to play in the South West Peninsula League Premier West (step six of the National League System) for the start of the 2019-20 despite their home base not meeting ground grading criteria.
Saints were one of eight Peninsula outfits across both East and West divisions that were given until March 31, 2021 to comply or face demotion into their relevant step seven league.
In St Dennis’ case that would have been the St Piran League East – a division in which their reserve team currently play. Five of the eight teams have installed their floodlights with work underway at Devon outfit Honiton leaving just St Dennis and Dobwalls to comply with ground-grading regulations.
However, with the covid pandemic meaning that incomes at clubs have been badly hit due to a lack of football and restrictions on licensed premises, the aforementioned trio technically
won’t meet the deadline.
Thankfully, though, the FA are willing to adopt a common-sense attitude to their often inflexible rules. It is understood that the FA have agreed that because their rules were written before covid, those like St Dennis that haven’t complied thus far, won’t be relegated
and given extra time to satisfy entry criteria.
Regardless of how this season ends and the next begins be it null and void or other, for the 2021-22 FA Vase and FA Cup campaign, which could run alongside the remainder of the 2020-21 campaign, any club that doesn’t meet ground grading won’t be allowed to enter either national competition.
St Dennis are awaiting 70 per cent of the total cost of their floodlights to come from grant funding after the club agreed to fund the remaining 30 per cent themselves. Initial planning permission for four floodlights was amended to six pylons and approved by Cornwall Council
12 months ago although work has yet to commence.
By Gareth Davies 20th January 2021