A North London football club are calling on the local council to secure land for a new home ground, without it the club claim they will be at ‘serious risk of permanent closure’. The club doesn’t have the funds to develop the site themselves and suggest it is a ‘once in a lifetime opportunity’ that will help young people in the borough excel in sports.
This week, National Harrow FC will officially present a petition to Harrow Council urging the
local authority to help secure land at The Old Lyonian Sports Ground in Pinner View to create a permanent home ground. Signed by 2,436 people (accurate at the time of publication), the petition highlights the important role the club plays in the local community.
The club, which were a finalist for ‘Team of the Year’ at the 2024 Harrow’s Heroes, offer a wide range of training programmes and competitive matches for children, youth, and adults across Harrow. However, National Harrow FC Chairman, Adrian Avasalcai, claims the lack of permanent facilities means it would be unable to continue delivering the programs in the future.
In the petition, Mr Avasalcai states: “As a charity, we do not have the funds to purchase this ground and develop our football academy. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to ensure that National Harrow FC can continue to serve the community, offering a safe, healthy and supportive environment for young people to excel in sports.”
He added: “The importance of sports for children’s physical and mental health cannot be overstated. Securing a permanent home would allow us to continue to offer vital sports programs that encourage youth engagement, and contribute to their overall personal development which in turn reduces antisocial behaviour and fosters a sense of teamwork and community.
“We are calling on Harrow Council to support National Harrow FC in securing this land at The Old Lyonian Sports Ground to help secure the future of the club and its positive impact on our community. Without this, we will need to close our doors to the children of Harrow.”
The club has been working towards the goal of a permanent ground for many years and are desperate to take advantage of the opportunity that has become available. They will finally get the chance to debate the proposal at a meeting of Harrow Council later this week (27 February). Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), Mr Avasalcai said: “Together with Harrow officers and councillors, in seven years we couldn’t find anything but now we have a unique opportunity.
“There is a developer that has this land where he wants to build a net zero carbon development and community centre. They are offering us the training ground as a donation, so we don’t need any financial help from Harrow Council. We are just asking for them to support us having this [land]. The developer will donate part of it for our club because they have seen us struggle for seven years.
He added: “[Harrow Council] were positive at the beginning and after that they have changed their mind. […] this Thursday, we will go with nearly 200 children and parents – the room will be quite full!”
The club will get a minute to present the petition, after which ten minutes will be allocated for Members to debate its terms and issues. Following the discussion, the council can choose to refer the petition to either the Cabinet, a Committee, or a Strategic Director to consider the matter. Harrow Council were approached for comment ahead of the meeting but did not respond ahead of publication.
