Stubbington Green Runners

STUBBINGTON Green Runners merge with City of Portsmouth AC? It sounds pie in the sky, but it has been mooted by one of the most respected figures in south coast running.

Gerry North, one of the legendary middle distance runners of the 1950s and 1960s, including a one-time National Cross Country champion, raised the thought during a recent interview with the Portsmouth News.

Gerry, who now coaches with City of Portsmouth, and organises both the Promenade 5km Series and the D-Day 10km races from the Mountbatten Centre, was voicing his desire to form a southern super club.

For years, the talk has been about City of Portsmouth joining forces with Havant AC, in the hope of retaining some of the region's top runners who in pursuit of top class competition have joined top flight clubs near the capital.

Speaking to the Portsmouth News, Gerry North said: 'Havant and Portsmouth's performances are worse than ever. We need the clubs to join forces.

'What I am most annoyed about is that there are a lot of people from this area - top athletes - competing for other clubs.

'There are local lads competing for teams like Belgrave Harriers, Newham and Essex Beagles and Aldershot, Farnham and District.

'If we were a strong national league club these lads would not need to go elsewhere.

'I had a good chat with Tim Watson who left Havant for Belgrave. He said he would have stayed if they could have offered him national competition.

'Michael East would never have gone to Newham if Portsmouth were a national league club.

'Just imagine if there was a club around here to accommodate these people. Imagine how strong it would be.

'We've approached Havant. City of Portsmouth want it to happen.

'Just recently I spoke to a decent Havant runner. They told me that all their athletes want it, but it is the committee stopping it happening. That's wrong.

'We've been told that they believe if we join together their youngsters won't get enough competition.

'That's ridiculous. You go to any meeting and you will never see us or Havant fill all the places.

'It's got to the point where we may have to ask someone else. Stubbington Green Runners are strong.
If the clubs don't amalgamate we will continue to go backwards.

'There have actually been 40 southern clubs who have done that in the past four or five years.

'Who's right and who's wrong? They are moving on and we are sitting back and losing ground.

'We will never have a decent athlete in this area all the time we are at this level.'

However, despite the speculation, it does seem the idea of a merger is going nowhere. Colin Goater, the Havant AC coach, and who is race director of the BUPA Great South Run, confirmed that they had talked about amalgamation at a recent committee meeting, but their view was unchanged.

'We are not considering it and feel it is not appropriate," he said. 'I have spoken to people in favour of it and I understand their view.

'But it's like a footballer who plays for Pompey and Arsenal show an interest in them. They go where there are better opportunities.

'The big problem is if it happens there will be athletes who don't get competition. You enter two people into an event - suddenly there will be four people wanting those spaces.

'Havant are smaller than Portsmouth in membership and status. People are frustrated with the ability of clubs in this area. But will they ever compete nationally?

'The big difference is top clubs like Belgrave Harriers have finance. Another thing is Havant AC was created for the people of the borough. People will always move on. Michael East was not getting the competition he needed so he went to a national league club. It's always the case.

'There are a number of local clubs around who are strong, but there is that local identity there. The little clubs can still do well.'