lep.co.
uk
of Manchester Legend Frank
backs campaign
Michael Amesbury Simon Ashley
funded from external stakeholders
in a partnership arrangement to in-
clude a City Council contribution
which could potentially be linked to
financial contributions from new de-
velopments in the area. Preliminary
work has been undertaken to deter-
mine the main scope of work re-
quired and a project delivery struc-
ture and programme. Further work
is now required to finalise capital
funding with project partners, in par-
ticular NWDA and the associated
procurement arrangements.”
Museum
Coun Michael Amesbury, Man-
chester Council’s executive member
It is a unique attrac-
tion and it would be
a big loss. If it moved
the people it attracts
would just not come
to Preston.
You can see when
visiting teams come
all the visiting sup-
porters go in the museum.
It would be a big loss.
CLIFF WARD, FUNERAL
DIRECTOR AND LIFELONG PNE
FAN
Where was anyone
else when the muse-
um was being moot-
ed in 2001? The peo-
ple associated with
Preston North End
pushed for it and se-
cured cash for it.
It seems a bit rich
that when it is established for some-
one to come along and say let’s
move it somewhere else.
If the argument is that these things
should go where the biggest footfall
is you would not have anything in
the sub-regions.
In fact you would not have anything
in Manchester, it would all be in
London.
GEOFF DRIVER, LANCASHIRE
COUNTY COUNCIL LEADER
We are founder
members of the
Football League
and professional
football would not
be what it is now if it
TOMORROW: CITY’S SCHOOLS JOIN IN THE BATTLE FOR OUR MUSEUM
for arts and leisure, said: “Steven
Broomhead is right – we are not
making assumptions. This is not a
predatory Manchester approach, we
don’t see ourselves in competition.
“We were approached when the
National Football Museum was fac-
ing some problems.”
Asked what Manchester Council
would do if the NWDA did not offer
cash support, he added: “It is hypo-
thetical, we need to find out what di-
rection the trustees are going.”
Manchester’s Lib Dem group
leader Simon Ashley said his group
is backing the Labour administra-
tion’s bid to bring the museum to
Manchester and added: “The ma-
jority will come from external fund-
ing, so at least £4m. It (the report)
mentioned the Development
Agency specifically.
“Our proportion would be funded
through section 106 monies because
it would be part of a wider develop- STEVEN BROOMHEAD: £8-10m
ment near Victoria Station.”
wasn’t for us. We could do with any
boost at the moment we can get. It
seems a bit short-sighted to move it
somewhere a bit shinier when the
history of a club like Preston is a lot
more intertwined with football than
a lot of other places.
PAUL KELLY, LIFELONG PNE FAN
WHOSE LATE SON MIKE IS
COMMEMORATED AT
DEEPDALE’S WALL OF FAME
Obviously it will
be a blow if it
goes. Manches-
ter has had one
of the best foot-
ball sides for
many years and
now they want to
take away the
museum as well.
It does not just bring visitors in but it
is something for the people of Pre-
ston to be proud of, something to
compete with other cities.
Hopefully we will be in the Premier
League one day and it is something
to shout about.
PARVIZ SHASVAR, PRESTON
BUSINESSMAN AND NIGHTCLUB
OWNER
It is always good to
have things like
this in your town,
especially when
there are people
like Sir Tom here,
who is a massive
part of football.
It would be a
to move museum to Manchester
shame if they took it away, I have
been round there a couple of times
and it is fantastic. If there were five
or six football museums across the
country no one would be as both-
ered about them.
But if there is only one you want it to
be in your town – and if North End
get to the Premiership it will be
great for visiting fans to come and
visit.
IAN McCULLOCH, PRESTON
SNOOKER STAR
The Football
League promised
funding for the mu-
seum which never
came and after the
entrance fee was
removed and it be-
came free entry to
all the museum
struggled to pay its
way. This in my opinion is a sorry
state of affairs and there is no doubt
that false promises made regarding
funding have tempted the trustees
to consider this alternative proposal
from Manchester.
This museum was born in Preston
where professional football was
born, the home of the football
league is here and Sir Bobby Charl-
ton, president of the museum, said
recently: “I can’t think of a better
museum anywhere in the world.”
It’s something we all should be
proud of and something that all Pre-
stonians, not just football fans,
should fight tooth and nail to keep.
JOHN ROPER, PNE FAN AND LEP
FANS PANELLIST
Evening Post, Tuesday, October 20, 2009 5
DEEPDALE legend Frank
O’Farrell says every foot-
baller in the land should
sign the Lancashire
Evening Post petition to
keep the National Football
Museum at Deepdale.
The former Manchester
United boss was back in
Preston to add his support
to the growing campaign.
O’Farrell, who made 118 FRANK
appearances for North End O’FARRELL:
and made his debut in the ‘A wonderful
Sir Tom Finney era in the football
1950s, said: “All the profes- experience’
sionals in England should
sign the petition – Preston
is the home of football and added O’Farrell, who man- with the museum makes it
the museum is in the right aged Manchester United the perfect place for the na-
place. from 1971 to 1972. tional football collection.
“Preston were one of the “In my book, Tom Finney “It would also be a great
league’s founders, and was the perfect footballer, loss to the city, because the
without them there might and nobody has made a museum, like PNE, helps
not have been Chelsea, bigger contribution to the keep Preston in the public
Manchester United or English game than Tom. eye and that’s extremely
Manchester City. “He was one of the greatest important.
“I’ve visited the museum footballers ever, but he was “We’ve got the people on
several times and it is a also a wonderful person our side and we all hope
wonderful football experi- and the strong link that that the museum remains
ence. North End and Tom have at Deepdale.”
“The exhibition embellish-
es the history of the game,
Save
and it has a superb atmos- Join the campaign to keep our
football treasures in Preston.
ur
phere.
“I don’t think it should go Please sign this form and send
to a big city like Manches- to:
ter – they’ve got enough. Chris Visser,
“The history and tradition Lancashire Evening Post,
is at Deepdale, it is a special Oliver’s Place, Eastway
place and a magical venue
for any football fan who
PRESTON
PR2 9ZA
Museum
visits. I, the undersigned, petition the Prime
“The people of Preston and
Lancashire don’t want it to Minister to keep the National Football
go – and we should fight Museum in Preston
this all the way.”
Sir Tom Finney has said he Name:
would take his memorabil-
ia away from the museum
collection if it moved to Address:
Manchester.
“Tom’s quite right to say
that – I’d do the same,”