IS CONFERENCE NOW A REALISTIC GOAL?

WORTHING FOOTBALL Club sponsor Victor Gladwish has said that with his backing a place in the Nationwide Conference is a possibility for The Rebels. At last Thursday's press conference it was announced that Gladwish will inject Â£30,000 per annum into Worthing for the next five years, and for a possible five years after that as well.

Gladwish said: "I feel that for Worthing the Conference South is definitley within reach without my backing, but with my backing the Nationwide Conference is feasible. Anything further than that is difficult to say. It will depend on how the club spends my money.

"I intend to take them as far as I can. My biggest team in the South is Gravesend and when my deal with Crawley runs out at the end of the season, then Worthing.

"I'll be going to watch Gravesend one week and Worthing the next depending on when the fixtures fall, but I normally watch about four or five games a week anyway as I am involved with 90 teams.

"I had made an offer to Horsham three summers ago but they never really got back to me. Then Mark Stevens from Worthing '” who were then in the same League '” rang me, and I told them they would have to be quick and we ended up signing a deal on the same day.

"That was two years ago with the sponsorship deal and since then we have had a good rapport going.

"With my sponsorship at Crawley ending, Worthing contacted me again as they want to move forward.

"The club will get a substantial amount of money per annum."

This will allow Worthing to create a new youth set-up which will allow the best of Sussex's boys the chance to secure a full-time apprenticeship with Worthing FC. The boys would also study at college or gain a practical qualification.

A full-time manager could also be employed by Worthing to advise, manage the team and look after the boys. Work for this project will begin immediatly.

It is hoped that this will raise the club's profile, give youngsters a chance to make a career in football and beyond and generally increase Worthing FC's presence in the community.

On other details which the deal included, Gladwish said: "Woodside Road will now be known as 'The Victor Gladwish stadium'. I will have first refusal on the land the ground is on if they ever move away from the area and every Wednesday night from next season, I shall have use of the pitch for various games."