THE BIG DECISION: Can CPD Bangor 1876 and Bangor City Stadium work in future harmony?

Bangor 1876 will address supporters next week to discuss whether a proposed partnership agreement with Bangor City Stadium is the right move for the club.

The tier 2 Cymru North club currently play at Nantporth on the outskirts of the city, which is leased by local entrepreneur Nick Pritchard. The ground was renamed Bangor City Stadium earlier this year.

Mr Pritchard has published on social media his suggestions for the way forward for 1876 and BCS.

They include:

• New company to be set up. This will be owned 51% by the Stadium CIC and 49% by – CPD Bangor 1876 FC fans. CPD Merched Bangor and Penrhos FC.
• 1876 can have two board members (previously 1).
• £250,000 opening bank balance.
• No debt on the new company

Mr Pritchard’s ambition is to have Bangor to have a team back in the Cymru Premier League as soon as possible.

Since the demise of the former Bangor City in 2022, the club having been relegated from the WPL at the end of 2017-18 on financial issues despite finishing runners-up, the main hope of tier 1 football for Bangor lies in the hands of fan-owned 1876, formed in 2019-20 and currently one level off the top flight.

Mr Pritchard wants a decision on whether 1876 accept or reject his proposal made before Christmas.

If rejected, the businessman says he has another local club ready to embrace the stadium deal.

Bangor 1876 released the following statement this evening.

“Over recent weeks Mr Nick Pritchard and Bangor City Stadium have posted a number of articles on social media about their vision for the future of senior football in Bangor.

“Their vision of creating a strong and sustainable football community in Bangor aligns with ours but regretfully, and despite continued requests, Mr Nick Pritchard and Bangor Stadium have not been forthcoming with any firm written detail around their proposal.

“CPD Bangor 1876 was set up to safeguard the future of senior football in the city and the Board has been appointed to protect the interests of our fan owned club. It would be irresponsible for any Board to agree to a partnership without understanding the detail behind any proposal, including documenting and signing any partnership agreement.

CPD Bangor 1876 have three key boundaries for the partnership agreement, these being:

1. Our financial independence is maintained.
2. Our independence to manage and run the team is maintained.
3. We do not inherit any liabilities, now or in the future in respect of the stadium.

“In return we will make a commitment to help with the running of the stadium, including reasonable payments to play on the pitch, link up with other clubs using the facilities, and move forwards with confidence and certainty to ensure that Bangor can once again experience top-level football.

“Negotiations around any partnership should be done formally and confidentially between the principal partners before any announcements, to the wider public, and we as a Board are only too willing to take part in these negotiations to document a formal partnership agreement with the various stakeholders that are being proposed.

“In view of the current deadline of 14th December being held over us of “agree to join us or walk away” and in the absence of any formal detail behind the “agree to join us” proposal we have put forward the same financial offer to play at the stadium that we understand a Tier 3 club from Anglesey have made (and which we understand has been accepted) and we await a decision on this. This proposal from us would also allow the parties additional time to formally agree any partnership agreement.

“We remain hopeful that Mr Nick Pritchard and Bangor City Stadium will forward a formal partnership agreement in due course for our Board’s consideration, so that we can safeguard the future of football in Bangor without creating unnecessary divisions.

“We will have another meeting for supporters at the Crosville Club in Bangor at 6pm on Tuesday 10 December.“

• Bangor 1876 have also agreed to ballot members about the possibility of changing the club’s name.
  

If the vote favours the move, the fan-owned tier 2 club could become CPD Bangor City 1876 FC in 2025-26.