A DISPUTE over a three foot white fence could see the collapse of soccer in Exeter.
Before a ball has been kicked in anger for the 2001 season, the Exeter Soccer Club is in sporting limbo, with its future jeopardised by opposition to the movement of a surrounding fence just 20 metres.
Following a directive from the NSW Umpires Association, the club has been stopped from fielding any sides above U9s on Exeter Park because of a concrete cricket pitch in the middle of the ground which is seen as a threat to players safety.
As a result, the only options available to the club are to extend the fence outwards slightly to fit in a regulation field or replace the concrete wicket with a turf pitch at a cost of up to $36000.
“If we can’t play here this season then the club could fold,” Exeter Soccer Club secretary Heather Temperley said.
“Soccer on this oval is very important to the children and parents of Exeter and it would be disastrous if the club dissolved.
“We are offering to move the fence ourselves and pay all the costs associated with it just so these kids can play.”
The clubs submission is due to go before council soon but it is believed that certain members of the 14-strong Exeter Park Management Committee are strongly against moving the fence.
Council delegate to the committee Cr David Fairall is one that opposes the move.
“I’m definitely against moving the fence on historical grounds and because of the beauty of the oval as it is now,” he said.
“I would work my butt off to get soccer back on Exeter Park but not if it means altering fence lines.
“You’re damned if you do and you’re damned if you don’t sometimes but at the end of the day this is a community oval and sporting bodies have to comply with the decision of the committee.
“I strongly support a turf cricket pitch instead of moving the fence.”
But soccer club representatives are against a turf wicket claiming it is too expensive and would take too long to put in.
“The Exeter Cricket Club are firmly behind us moving the fence and have said that it would take 2-4 years to put a turf wicket in,” Temperley said.
“We requested permission at a special meeting on December 18 to move the fence and it was passed on the condition that it was constructed with the same material and maintained the same ambience.
“Some people are saying that the fence has historical value but we don’t want to rip the fence down we just want to extend it.
“We want all of our sides to play on Exeter Park and I think it helps promote community spirit.
“There’s very little else for young people to do in this area and it’s important that we keep the club alive.
“The local people have really banded together though and it would be a pity for the club to go just because a few people are opposed to change.”
And with such rapid housing development continuing in and around the Exeter area, the club believes it has a bright future if they can get a local ground.
“Within four years I genuinely believe we would be able to field a team in every division,” Temperley said.
“I just hope the club is still around in four years.”
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