Bootle FC ends City of Liverpool FC groundshare deal over dispute

CoL refutes the allegation of a material breach of the groundshare agreement

Two semi-professional football clubs are locked in a dispute after one club terminated a groundshare agreement.

City of Liverpool FC (CoL) has no long-term designated space to play their Northern Premier League home games after Bootle FC ended the agreement to share its Berry Street Garage Stadium.

It follows the postponement of CoL's Northern Premier League match with Widnes on 20 January.

Bootle FC has since said CoL breached its agreement which the latter refutes.

Since forming in 2015, CoL FC has been on the lookout for a pitch but has so far been unable to put down permanent roots, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Bootle FC and CoL FC struck an agreement that year to share the Berry Street Garage Stadium on Vesty Business Park, Bootle. The deal ran up to 2020.

After a spell at Vauxhall Motors FC's VanEupen Stadium, a new agreement was reached between Bootle FC and CoL FC in 2022.

'Unforeseen circumstances'

When the match was postponed, CoL FC released a statement saying: "Due to completely unforeseen circumstances, our match tomorrow v @Widnes_FC has been postponed at this very late stage."

Nothing was confirmed about the future of CoL's home fixtures until Bootle FC released a statement on Monday.

It said: "Following a material breach of the groundshare agreement, and despite opportunities to rectify other identified breaches, the agreement between Bootle Football Club and City of Liverpool Football Club has been terminated with immediate effect."

CoL FC responded to Bootle FC's statement, saying the club entirely refutes the "ludicrous allegation".

It continued: "We have now begun to incur significant costs in seeing out this season, in which Bootle FC are contractually committed to hosting our home fixtures, and will be seeking redress by whatever means are appropriate.

"Our club will not be stopped from playing football and we refuse to be bullied into unfair terms by any party."

The two Northern Premier League (NPL) clubs have fixtures up to the end of the season in April.

The league said they offered mediation to both clubs and said in a statement they were "disappointed this offer was not taken up".

'Landlord tenant dispute'

The sporting governing body has committed to working with CoL FC to ensure they are able to meet their obligations and play out their fixtures.

The league said it became aware of a dispute between the two clubs 24 hours before the scheduled Widnes game.

"Ultimately, this is a dispute between landlord and tenant in which the NPL has no powers to intervene.

"The league will continue to work with City of Liverpool FC to ensure the club completes the 2023/24 season.

"In accordance with FA rules, City of Liverpool FC has until 31 March to provide a compliant groundshare agreement with another club with the necessary grade to maintain its place at step four of the national league system."

Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, X and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to [e-mail]