WINSFORD United and the town council have already reached a crossroads in negotiations ahead of an official meeting to solve Barton Stadium's future

The council are willing to lease the land they hold in trust to the Blues on a peppercorn rent, but the football club has rejected the offer.

As far as they are concerned, knowing that no ownership means no basis for acquiring necessary loans and grants to develop the stadium.

The positions of both parties were made clear at an open meeting at the club last Wednesday, but this forum of fans, club officials, and council reps hardly reached a satisfying conclusion, if any at all.

Winsford Town Council and the Blues have agreed to re-convene privately within the next month in another attempt to reach an agreement.

Although the town councillors (Jim Hughes and Tony Hooton) were only there off their own steam and not in an official capacity, Clr Hooton said the situation could be resolved by Blues obtaining the land as tenants.

But if they are to finance plans for a community facility including a new social club, all-weather pitches and a gymnasium, Winsford directors need ownership of Barton Stadium.

One of the potential benefactors, vice chairman Mark Loveless, said: "If we have ownership we can push forward the plans we have, which we've been trying to do since 1991 and because of town council problems it's been stopped.

"Meetings with the town council have come to nothing. They want us to sign a lease agreement and we're not prepared to do that because it becomes a landlord-tenant situation and we still haven't got any way we can get grants from various bodies.

"The land was left in trust by the directors of 1938 and we're looking to change it so we can look after and maintain it ourselves, which we have done over the years.

"The town council haven't spent a penny on Winsford United and it stinks."

Clr Hooton revealed that he hadn't gone into a public war with the football club due to the legal implications of thrashing out a deal over the site, such as revoking the trust.

No council statements have been made to the press on the issue as they believe it is betweem them, Winsford United and their solicitors. Hence, their next meeting will be behind closed doors.

Winsford directors also expressed their displeasure at the council putting Barton Stadium under their name with the land registry in 1998, an action they claim they knew nothing of and wasn't made public.

ON the field, United are getting sucked into a battle to stay in the UniBond League.

They have only taken two points from a possible 21 and this relegation form continued in earnest when they let a three goal lead slip at home to Gretna on Saturday.

But they will leap above 12th placed Lincoln United if they win there on Saturday (3pm).