Club Statement

Cowdenbeath FC ('the Club') has SFA Club Licensing mandatory criteria variances in the pitch dimensions and floodlight lux of Central Park that have been highlighted in this season's and previous seasons' licensing audits. Due to lack of progress, the Licensing Committee penalised the Club in season 08/09 with suspended fines, two of which have now crystallised. This will increase the financial burden of a club already in a precarious financial position due to legal disputes with the previous management.

The Club has taken necessary steps and made every possible effort to adhere to the criteria set by the SFA club licensing process, but without huge capital expenditure to redevelop Central Park or relocate the stadium, changing the pitch dimensions and floodlights is not possible. The current economic climate and banks' attitude towards football clubs has halted any proposed stadium relocation and the Club can simply not afford/lend the sum which is believed to be the cost of redeveloping Central Park to meet SFA criteria. This would include demolition and reconstruction of the stockcar track and terraces, and also replacement and repositioning of the floodlights.

In order to avoid further suspended fines crystallising, the Directors have taken it upon themselves to look into other possible ground arrangements, including ground sharing with nearby clubs, namely East Fife FC, Raith Rovers FC, Dunfermline AFC and Spartans FC. To date no response has been received from any of the clubs approached.

Any other press speculation is purely that, speculation, and has no worth, except in potentially unsettling our football staff and the league campaign.

Scott Brewster

Director