Rushall Olympic have been threatened with relegation if they don’t build a new stand and make significant upgrades to their ground, Dales Lane.
To meet the FA’s ground requirements for Step Two football, Rushall Olympic must build a new 252-seater stand, alongside upgrading their floodlights and installing more turnstiles.
Rushall Olympic stadium renovation
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Plans for the Rushall Olympic stadium renovation have been submitted and the planning decision is expected by Walsall Council officers in January 2024. The new stand, floodlights and turnstiles must be completed by the end of March 2024 to avoid relegation to the Southern Football League Premier Division Central.
The Pics won promotion through the play-offs last season and are now playing in the National League North for the first time in their 130-year history.
What's the latest on potential Rushall Olympic relegation?
In the application to Walsall Council, a spokesperson for Residential and Commercial Engineering Ltd said: “The league rules are in place to ensure that all football clubs grow along with their status and level.
“A large part of this requirement is to ensure the safety of all supporters and associated people who attend the stadium on match days, as often attendances tend to increase due to success in football, and with additional away supporters visiting the club for match day experiences.
“Under FA/League rules, the proposals must be constructed and operational prior to the end of March 2024 or the club faces mandated relegation from the division.”
Dales Lane capacity and features
The capacity of Dales Lane is 1,400 with a mix of seating and standing areas. There are three seating areas, including two stands, which hold around 150 people, and a bench seating area. The rest of the ground has open space for uncovered standing.
The average attendance at Dales Lane this season has been 506 with the hope that continued success on the pitch will translate to more local fans attending the games and increase the number of away fans wanting to visit the ground.