Following months of discord, which climaxed earlier in the summer when chairman Richard Soan, manager Steve Johnson and most of the first team playing squad all dramatically quit the club, the board this week released a statement threatening a "legal remedy" to resolve a quarrel over the ownership of the ground. The Directors want the trustees, led by club stalwart Stan Williams, to hand over the deeds to the ground in order to consolidate a bank loan.

The Board claim the bank will call in an existing loan if the deeds are not handed over, thus jeapordising the future of the club.

However, the trustees fear the ownership of the ground could be seized by the bank if any such handover took place.

The statement released by the club's Directors read, "For some time, the Directors of Ringmer FC have been in discussions to transfer the freehold of its present ground under an arrangement whereby the developers would build a brand new stadium and clubhouse for Ringmer FC within a community sports complex to be built on land adjoining Ringmer Community College.

This complex, would include a sports hall, additional football pitches and other facilities for use by other sports organisations in Ringmer and the surrounding district as well as Ringmer Community College and Ringmer FC.

Unfortunately, the recent actions by the former trustees in refusing to release the title of the Caburn ground to Ringmer FC Limited are thwarting all of this and indeed putting into jeopardy the Club itself.

"The club's bank who have loaned money secured against the ground has said that unless matters are regularised in the near future, they may have to call in their loan and will then seek to sell the ground. This would probably see an end to the present negotiations.

"The Directors have tried to have a dialogue with the trustees but these discussions have proved fruitless.

"Accordingly, the Directors have now obtained professional advice that the former trustees are acting improperly and are, with great reluctance, having to seek a legal remedy to compel the transfer the title of the ground to the Club.

The Directors wish to make it clear that they are taking this action only because the continuation of the Club and its proposed move to a new stadium are being put in jeopardy by the former trustees' actions.
"The Directors share the vision of many in the local community to see the establishment of the new sports complex and the location of the club's enhanced stadium facilities within that complex.

It is anticipated that the sale of the Caburn would also give additional working capital funding to enable the Club to invest for the future. The Directors are passionate in wishing to see the Club prosper and are working hard to ensure that the Club and the Ringmer community at large obtain the benefit of a brand new sports complex in, it is hoped, 2010."

Mr Williams responded, "I am disappointed that we (the trustees) have not been kept informed as promised and that the Directors have released this statement.

"We know we have got to sell the ground but we are concerned that if the Directors gain possession of the deeds, they will hand it over to the bank, and no one will be in control of the ground – other than the bank."

The row comes after former chairman Mr Soan reacted angrily to manager Bob Munnery's comments that he was not doing "a single thing" to ensure the future of the club entering into talks with Mr Williams.

Mr Soan was unavailable for comment this week but Mr Munnery said, "I am taking no sides in this issue.

I made those comments because I just wanted people to sit down and talk. Since I made the comments, I'm pleased to say that has happened."