ST HELENS Town’s move back to the borough has been hit by further frustrating delays.

Club officials met with the council last Friday and it has now been confirmed that the work required to meet the FA Ground Grading will not be completed until mid-May 2017.

While the ground is currently being used by the club’s U18s, U21s and Sunday teams the prolonged delays to the completion of the new dressing room facilities and a problem with the height of the pitch perimeter fence have delayed the first team’s return home.

It means Town need to secure alternative playing facilities for next season to ensure they do not fall foul of the FA and NWCFL ground requirements.

As the Ruskin Drive Sports ground will not be in a position to be inspected by the 31 March deadline the club needs to have a ground sharing agreement in place at a suitable alternative ground to maintain their membership of the league and guarantee entry to FA competitions.

Club chairman John McKiernan said: “The news is very disappointing and a real blow to our plans. We’ve relied on the good will and support of a number of clubs over the past six years and are indebted to those clubs in ensuring the survival of the club – their assistance should not be underestimated.

“If we accept that the new ground will be ready in May the reality is that we will never need to utilise any ground sharing agreement but it still has to be in place or we could be in serious trouble.”

The club will also lose out on a lucrative fixture as part of the NWCFL Easter weekend Ground Hop. Town were due to host promotion chasing City of Liverpool at Ruskin Drive as the second of three Ground Hop fixtures in the area on Easter Sunday which would have seen up to 300 ‘hoppers’ part of a likely four-figure crowd.

McKiernan added: “The loss of the Ground Hop fixture is both hugely disappointing and financially disastrous, losing the club thousands of pounds.

“Given our opposition the City of Liverpool FC, who are very well supported, hundreds of ground hoppers and a lot of local interest this was guaranteed to be bumper crowd and an ideal way to showcase the club and the new Ruskin Drive Sports Ground facility.

“Unfortunately, we had no other option but to inform the league that we would not be able to participate in the Ground Hop programme.”

The majority of Town’s remaining ten home fixtures will be played at Volair Park, home of Prescot Cables with the exception of two current fixture clashes when Town will be required to relocate. One such clash this Saturday (11th February) Town will host Silsden at Edge Green Street, home of Ashton Town FC.