'Ground move must happen if Magpies are to survive', says Alan Devonshire

Alan Devonshire fears Maidenhead United might start to go backwards, or could even find themselves fighting for survival, if the club’s planned switch from York Road to Braywick Park does not go ahead in the coming years.

Speaking at a fans’ question and answer event at York Road on Wednesday night, the Magpies manager said he felt the move was essential for the club to continue to be competitive in the National League and not simply stagnate.

The club is yet to submit official plans for the Braywick Park site. According to the Royal Borough’s forward plan, cabinet will make a decision on whether to proceed with releasing the land, subject to planning approval, at a meeting on July 27.

The rugby club has made no secret of its opposition to the Magpies’ plans to build a new 5,200 capacity stadium, with additional facilities, as they believe it will take away vital training space for the club’s junior players.

And, while Magpies' chairman Peter Griffin is confident common ground can be found with the rugby club and other key stakeholders close to the development, it’s not yet certain their application for a new ground will be approved.

The council has also approved back-up plans to install hundreds more seats at York Road, with Griffin saying that move will protect the club's interest at York Road and enable them to meet National League and EFL requirements while waiting to see how the move to Braywick Park pans out.

York Road has been home to the Magpies since 1871, making it the oldest ground to be continually used by the same senior club in world football.

While popular with fans, a move to Braywick Park is seen as key to the club’s future prospects, with chairman Griffin currently dipping into his own pocket to make up the club’s financial shortfall each season; something he’s stressed is not sustainable in the long term.

“If the club is going to survive, the move has got to happen,” Devonshire told fans at the event in Stripes Bar this week. “I think Peter (Griffin) and Jon (Adams) have worked very hard with it and if it doesn’t happen, I don’t know where the club will be.

“If club wants to push on, it’s got to happen. Peter can’t keep putting his money in season after season, he wants the club to work itself, earn money itself.

“There will be a time, that if it doesn’t happen, he’s going to have had enough. I really hope it happens for everyone.

“This (York Road) is a great place, and everyone will be sad to leave but if the club wants to go forward and look beyond the National League then we need to move. I hope for Peter’s sake it happens.

“Even when I’ve left, I hope the club can go on. If it doesn’t happen, I think the club will go the other way which I’m sorry to say.”

The Magpies ability to compete as a part-time team in a National League made up of full-time clubs was also discussed at the event. Many players also hold down full-time jobs to supplement their income from football. Should the club’s move to Braywick Park transpire, it could open the door for the club and its players to go full time and commit more time to training.

Head coach Aaron O’Brien admitted the Magpies were disadvantaged by how infrequently they train. He said: “Yes. We’re a part-time team in a full-time league. Half of our players have full-time jobs and our staff do too. We’re all working during the day then we have to do things for Maidenhead to the best of our abilities, to compete with the likes of Chesterfield, Wrexham, etc.

“We train Monday and Tuesday mornings, and Thursday evenings, and we’re lucky enough that our work is flexible enough to allow us to do that. Other teams will be in on Sunday doing recovery, and Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday training.

“We make up for it (infrequency of training) with a huge effort, a willingness to do better. We always give everything we’ve got. I’d like to think we are one of the fittest teams in the league. We work the players hard in training and we need to do that to compete with these full-time teams in the league.”

Topics at the Q&A were widespread, with Devonshire discussing United’s summer transfer business and hopes for the 2023/24 campaign.

He said: “All we can do is our best and we will set targets for the players. We will aim for mid-table and work from there. Things are getting tougher, but hopefully we’ve learned as a group. We want to reach the first round of the FA Cup, FA Trophy, we want to win the thing, but the Berks & Bucks Cup we're not fussed about.” Chief scout Lee Devonshire added: “Realistically, we've got two or three bits of business to do. Another midfielder and another wide man who can play as a 10.”