NEWCASTLE FC captain Dessie McCartan says the proposed merger between the Seasiders and Tollymore is a “done deal” following months of talks between club officials.
31-year-old McCartan, who has been a player at Newcastle since the age of 16, said the decision was ratified at a recent Newcastle FC AGM, with club committee members, players and coaches in attendance.
“It was announced at the AGM that it had been voted in (the merger) and that it’s a formality.
“There was a vote and it was unanimously decided that the club would go ahead with it. All the players and coaches voted to go ahead with it.
“From my perspective, it’s a done deal.”
There’s been no official statement from Tollymore or Newcastle regarding the merger.
Talks between Tollymore and Newcastle have been ongoing since the start of the year but there’s been a series of disagreements over the name of the new club, who the new manager will be and the destination of a long-term home ground.
Tollymore play their home games at Bear Park (Donard Park) and last season Newcastle played at Meadowvale, having been without a recognised home ground for a number of years, although that arrangement with Drumaness Mills has now come to an end.
At the start of March, Newcastle were awarded £274,000 through the government’s Community Ownership Fund, which was expected to be used in order to develop facilities at Church Hill, just off the Castlewellan Road.
There had been differing opinions from both sides on the long-term home ground of a newly formed club, with some individuals preferring to stay at Donard Park and gradually improve the facilities there, believing the money awarded through the Community Ownership Fund would be better spent on other areas, while others want to push ahead with new facilities on the Castlewellan Road.
McCartan said he’s been informed that the newly formed club will be called Newcastle Town and that home games will be played out of Newcastle, at Donard Park, next season.
It is expected that Newcastle Town’s first team will play in the Amateur League, following Tollymore’s withdrawal from the Mid-Ulster League on 19 June.
The second team is set to play in the Premier Division of the Newcastle League and the thirds have been registered for Division Two.
The Newcastle captain, who also played for the youth teams of Tollymore, described the news regarding the merger as “a massive relief” and believes it’s a positive step forward for football in Newcastle.
“The fact that it seems to be done is a massive relief, the sooner we get on the pitch the better it’s going to be for Newcastle Town.”
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