The proposed joint stadium project for the two East Manchester clubs appears to be off. Plans for a 6,000 capacity ground next to the East Cheshire Harriers running track at Richmond Park, and the consequent sale of Curzon’s National Park ground and United’s Hurst Cross ground, have been under discussion with Tameside Council for some time. However, following Tameside Council’s decision to reduce the capacity of the proposed stadium to only 4,000, United have pulled out of the project, effectively leaving Curzon, who were particularly anxious to move to the new facility, high and dry.

After a series of delays the new main stand at Northolme was finally opened in early August. Interestingly it is built on the same model as its predecessor, retaining the same distinctive barrel-type roof. The seating accommodation has been increased from 220 to 500, which together with other improvements in an overall £180,000 development programme, will bring Northolme up to Conference standard

Aiming to leave the adequate but somewhat austere surroundings of their current Woodspring Park set-up, the Somerset club are close to completing the purchase of the nearby Westland Sports Club ground. Currently the home of Somerset Senior League side Westland United, who will continue to be based at the site, the large company sports ground complex is seen by Weston as an ideal location for a new ground, plans for which are soon to be drawn up.

Following their promotion to the Senior Division, the Hatfield based club have built a small stand at their Comet Way ground. With industrial development due to swallow up the ground and the adjacent former British Aerospace premises within the next two years, plans are in hand to move to a new Ryman League standard ground at the University of Hertfordshire in Ellenbrook.

Town seem set to remain at Tetbury Road for the foreseeable future. Potential buyers for the Gloucestershire club’s ground are proving thin on the ground, while the proposed new ground at Kingshill has yet to reach the planning stage.

County’s threat to leave Spytty Park after the local council appeared to be backing out of a promise to upgrade the stadium to Football Conference standard seems to have done the trick. Newport Borough Council have now agreed to finance the improvements out of their capital budget and work is expected to start soon.

The Stones have received another setback in their quest to build a new stadium. After winning a long drawn-out fight to get planning permission for the proposed new stadium at Prince Edward Playing Fields, they have now learned that their application for National Lottery grant has been turned down on the grounds that it is too football focussed. They have been advised to submit a fresh application to the newly formed Football Foundation.

Hopes are high that a return to their spiritual Poole Stadium home might be in the offing. Discussions are said to be taking place between the club and the local council, which could see the Dolphins going back to the ground from which they were forcibly removed in 1994. In the meantime they have relocated to a new temporary home, setting up camp at Oakdale Middle School’s Tatnam Playing Fields.

As part of a programme to bring their Parkfield ground up to Ryman League standard, the Hertfordshire club have built a 150 seat stand on the clubhouse side of the pitch.

Competing in the same division as Leamington, Rugby Town are another club from the past attempting to recapture past glories. They are based at the William Webb Ellis Road ground of Rugby Lions RFC, a set-up that includes a seated stand and floodlights.

Wood have retained their place in the Premier Division after an appeal to the Football Association. They were originally demoted following concerns about the condition of their Oak Road ground.

A formal ground share arrangement has been agreed with near neighbours Witton Albion for the 2001/2002 season. The Vics will use Witton’s ground - which after a sponsorship deal is now known as Wincham Park Stadium in association with Bargain Booze, while a replacement ground for Drill Field is built.

Plans for a new stadium for the Kent league side have been rejected by the local council, leaving the club doubting it’s future. Councillors decided that the project for a combined football and greyhound stadium on a former rubbish tip was too costly. The estimated £3 million needed was double the original figure.

The Essex club have announced that, should plans for a new stadium at Boreham not gain the relevant planning consent, they will consider building a new stadium in Basildon. No site in the New Town has been identified for any such project.