Statement following the announcement that Romford F.C.'s Home Ground is moving to Barking:
“As Romford’s Member of Parliament, I have always been a staunch supporter of Romford Football Club’s need for a permanent home in Havering. They are the Romford Football Club and Romford is where they belong!
Since my days as a local councillor, I have advocated for the Club to be located within our community, raising this issue with every council administration over the past two and a half decades. I even proposed an Romford F.C. - London Borough of Havering Working Group, though regrettably, it was never properly established. Before I became Romford’s M.P., the then Club leadership asked me to champion the cause and as a result, I helped to co-ordinate demonstration of hundreds of Club supporters outside Havering Town Hall.
Since then, several potential sites have been explored, notably Westland Playingfield in London Road and other sites in Harold Hill and Crowlands, all within Havering, but each location has fallen through. For R.F.C. to find a permanent home in the borough, it will require financial backing, which is always going to be a challenge. While Havering Council is never going to be a financial position to directly fund any initiative, I strongly believe they should assist in identifying a suitable location. We have so much green belt land in Havering. It must be possible to find somewhere to accommodate Romford Football Club. We must never give up!
As the M.P. for Romford, I do not have the authority to allocate a site for the Club myself, but I will work with the Club leadership to help them find a location and encourage Havering Council to look again at possible sites.
Following R.F.C.’s recent victory at Wembley, I implore Havering Council to recognise the significance of finding a new home for the Club within our borough and to spare no effort in facilitating this move. I pledge my unwavering support to Romford Football Club and will utilise my influence as Romford’s Member of Parliament to assist the Club in every possible way. R.F.C. is an invaluable asset to Romford, and all Romfordians should take pride in their achievements.
Romford Football Club belongs in Romford, and I will do everything in my power to help turn this aspiration into a reality.”
