Stubbington Green Runners

STUBBINGTON Green Runners have ruled out any chance of a merger with City of Portsmouth.

The outfit have stated there is no chance of joining forces with City after coach Gerry North aired the possibility of a link-up between the two clubs.

City's North is one of the driving forces behind the formation of a southern superclub, which is the talk of local athletics.

The debate has been dominating the sport in recent weeks after North called for City and Havant AC to merge in a bid to rejuvenate the clubs' flagging fortunes.

North fears that the area's teams are going backwards at a rate of knots.

He insists a link-up between the outfits is the only way you will see a local side make an impression at a national level.

Havant have so far rebuffed the idea and are keen to continue as a stand-alone outfit.

That led to North announcing City would not rule out the possibility of an approach to Stubbington, the third biggest club in the area.

But the Runners have now stepped forward and said they would not be receptive to the idea of a merger.

Stubbington secretary Mark Le Gassick admitted he understood North and City's fears for the sport, but said there was no chance of his club merging.

He said: "While joining forces will inevitably produce bigger, stronger clubs, it won't necessarily produce more talented athletes or solve the many problems currently faced by athletics as a whole.

"I understand Gerry North's frustration at losing talent to bigger clubs, but while joining forces may help local clubs become stronger it would not be geographically practical for us to join Portsmouth."

Stubbington have picked up a reputation as a powerful road running outfit and also competitive on the track and country.

But they have still seen major talents move on in recent years to further themselves.

Both Andy Vernon and Becki Gough, who have represented Great Britain and England, have joined other set-ups.

Vernon moved from Stubbington to Aldershot Farnham and District and Gough competes for Team Southampton.

Le Gassick accepts such moves as inevitable and believe the sport's problems lie in other areas.

He said: "Athletics has an image problem which makes it very difficult to attract youngsters with potential.

"There are also still issues regarding funding and facilities, as well as the continual in-fighting among the sport's governing bodies.

"Stubbington Green Runners is proud to have played a part in the formative years of athletes such as Andy and Becki, but there is only so much that a club with limited facilities and resources can do in progressing the careers of such talented youngsters to the next level.

"Looking at the bigger picture it is clear that if we are going to be successful at the 2012 Olympics, we need a single, democratic governing body that is totally dedicated to attracting and developing talented young athletes."

Published in The News on Monday, May 22.