The former home of a prominent Midlands football club is set to
come under the Bigwood auction hammer.
Wyrley Rangers once graced the Long Lane ground in the south
Staffordshire village of Essington.
The 8.9 acre complex, originally developed by Nadir Imamoglu, a
former Turkish professional footballer, Wyrley Parish Council
chairman, and Staffordshire county councillor, will be part of
Bigwood's next auction on Thursday, March 10, at the Aston Villa
conference centre in Birmingham.
The closing date for entries is Tuesday, February 8.
Mr Imamoglu, who co-owned the club with his son, first intimated
he wished to sell in 2007 and a £1.2 million price tag was
placed on the stadium.
It is now listed at between £690,000 and
£735,000.
The Green Belt site comprises a main pitch and practice pitch,
floodlights, a cantilever stand capable of holding 100 people, a
clubhouse with space for two teams plus referee accommodation, a
bar, a function room, three bedroom detached bungalow, lock-up
garages and car park.
Mr Imamoglu said nothing would please him more if the complex
could be saved for sport.
"Football is very close to my heart and I would love to see
someone take it over.
"The trouble today is that all the finances go to the top and at
the local level it is an enormous struggle."
He confirmed that Wyrley Rangers had disbanded in 2007.
Mr Imamoglu, aged 64, who still plays indoor soccer, remembered:
"We played our very last game at Molineux when we beat Darlaston
Town 3-0 in the Hunt Cup."
Since then the pitch has been hired out to a variety of teams
including Stafford side Riverway, Wednesbury Town and Burntwood
Town, and the associated facilities remain in use.
Bigwood joint head of auctions Ron Darlington said: "It is a
real one-off and we are not quite sure what to expect.
"I imagine a number of sports clubs might find it highly
desirable. The question will be - can they raise the money?
"But it is a real opportunity for someone."
He said other possible uses might be for a restaurant or leisure
centre.
Mr Imamoglu was associated with Wyrley Rangers for 19 years and
built the club up from scratch, before deciding to retire.
Founded in 1988, it joined the West Midlands Regional League.
After one season, the team left to play in the Wolverhampton
Combination, rejoining the West Midlands League in 2001.
Two years later, they absorbed Marston Wolves.
In the 2004/5 season, they saw a run of 12 successive wins
rocket them to third in the Division One table.
And they were later promoted to the Premier League.
The Villa Park auction will also feature around 30 local
authority lots from Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Sandwell and Wyre
Forest councils.
One of the highlights is Hawthorn House, 58-60 Hamstead Hall
Road, Handsworth Wood in Birmingham.
It is a Grade II listed building, once a period house, and
latterly home to Birmingham City Council offices and local
library.
"It could be turned back into a very nice home," said Mr
Darlington. "But it would be a large one - there are a lot of
rooms."
Alternatives might be educational facilities or back to
offices.
And a number 0f former care homes across the region will also be
in the catalogue.
Mr Darlington said this followed a trend as higher standards for
the sector, including the requirement for en-suite, meant
facilities typically built perhaps 30 years ago, while structurally
sound, were often uneconomic to upgrade.
However, he added, many were attracting interest for
educational, religious or community uses.
For more details or for a catalogue, contact Bigwood on 0121 456
2200 or visit www.bigwood.uk.com