After months or protests, residents put their questions to the council in an hour long discussion about the future of the Basingstoke Town Football Club. 

Former football players and life long supporters took their concerns to the podium last night to adress the legality behind the covenant, receive a direct responce to Winklebury improvements with the option of a new stadium and discuss what will happen to the land owned by the council. 

This comes after the council backed the motion to improve the Winklebury stadium at the 11th hour after the council adjusted the legalities surrounding the £150,000 loan from Sports England.

Basingstoke Gazette:

However, public speakers Steven Williams, Adrian Donnelly and Steve Frangou left the meeting with mixed opinions on how the council responded to their questions. 

After the meeting concluded, Adrian Donnelly left the meeting stating that "Rafi is the baddie" in the downfall of the Camrose ground.

Speaking to the Gazette, Steve Frangou said: "Overall it was a reasonably positive outcomme so long as Sports England brings the club back to the town. 

"It was pleasing to hear cllr Simon Bound enhance Sport England's plans for Winklebury because this is what the towns wants and needs. The club needs to grow and that has to be somewhere in the borough." 

However, David Graham left disappointed with Simon Bounds answers, believing that "he's talking a load of rubbish" and that his answers were "poor and didn't make much sense". 

He added: "Mr Bound has been involved in the development of the Camrose and the future of the football club now for more than three years and I can see there has not been nearly enough progress since he joined." 

Basingstoke Gazette:

Fans gathered outside the council to show support for the motion to be approved with a seperate room set up in the council meeting to house the number of attendees who wanted to watch the council respond to these questions.

Steven Williams came out of the meeting with mixed opinions, adding that he felt the outcome was positive but still needed a push in the right direction. 

"We need to continue to argue for a second stadium in Basingstoke," he said "as this should be a matter for the council as it is for many other councils across the country. They need to take control and lead the fight for the football club now and get the ball rolling".

He added: "When building for the future of Basingstoke, particularly with a council this size, it is vital that they take control of the issues that matter to the residents and look at the borough as a whole when making these decisions.

"We need to generate pride in the community once more and I think a new stadium in the town could put Basingstoke back on the map". 

After a four hours and 45 minutes and much deliberation the council approved the motion for the £150,000 loan to go towards the development of Winklebury stadium.