CONFERENCE: Grecians consider ground-share with Chiefs

Exeter City are considering a proposal to share their St James' Park ground with Exeter Chiefs Rugby Club next season.

The Chiefs are hopeful of securing promotion to the Premiership but their current home has insufficient seating to comply with the league's regulations, and they cannot move into their new ground - Sandy Park Stadium - until 2006, prompting an approach to their footballing neighbours.

The idea seems to have the support of city councillor Barry McNamara, who heads the department for the environment and leisure and believes a ground-share would be "immense" for Exeter.

The council, which is landlord of St James Park as well as the local planning authority, is backing the proposal for next season, as Councillor McNamara explained: "Our role is as a facilitating authority and the council will, and does do, all it can for professional sports in the city. It is obvious that the dilapidated County Ground is not up to Premiership standards and it would be a disaster if the Chiefs were not promoted solely on the grounds of their stadium.

"The council will do all it can to make sure the Chiefs get the Premiership status they deserve. The three main sports in Exeter - rugby, speedway and football - are all striving to reach the top echelons of their game and the council will do all it can to help."

Cllr McNamara added: "Next year Exeter could realistically have a top-flight rugby team and a football side back in the Football League -and that would give the city a huge boost. Exeter's new shopping centre at Princesshay and the recent arrival of the Met Office have put Exeter on the map and if we can get the sporting side together, it would show that the city really is going places."

Exeter City's managing director Ian Huxham has been talking with the Chiefs' chief executive Tony Rowe, and told the local Express & Echo: "It is felt that there was nothing to be lost in investigating the possibility further."

The proposal is set to be put to the Exeter City board this week.

If the Chiefs were to win National League One this term and share St James's Park next season, the stadium would need temporary facilities installing to meet the rugby's top-flight ground regulations, with the small changing rooms being one area to be addressed. The capacity of 9,000 at the stadium would easily satisfy Premiership capacity regulations.