The
now 68-year-old took over as manager of Basingstoke in March 2016.
At
the end of the 2017/18 season, he became director of football. However, after
his replacement as manager left in November 2018, he returned to the position
of manager until Martin Kuhl was appointed in December.
Then
in November 2018, Brown was voted as chairman of the Basingstoke Town Community
Football Club.
Now
with the club secure in their new Winklebury Sports Complex, Brown has decided
it`s time for him to go.
In
a statement, he said: “Having the honour to represent Basingstoke Town, albeit
during some of the most difficult times in its history, will stay with me
forever. I would like to thank all of our supporters and the Board for
everything they have done to ensure that the club survived – despite it living
without a home and with only one revenue stream – the supporters.
“Having
taken over the Football licence from the Limited Company – our objective, and
at that stage a difficult one – was to survive financially. The only way to
achieve this was a move back into Basingstoke. With the help of the season ticket
holders, 200 Club Members, supporters` club members, clubhouse raffle,
50/50, Golden Goal, matchday volunteers,
players and management – you have helped us achieve the clubs 125th Anniversary
but more importantly, you have given the club a voice.
“Your
Community club can now sit down at the table with the Council and work
alongside them to ensure that the residents and children of Basingstoke can
access the sports facilities that are becoming of the largest and fastest
growing town in Hampshire.
“The
club will be working alongside several local charities and continuing to build
relationships with old and young people that are in need. To ensure we are
their voice as well as the voice of all sports in the town.
“The
second phase is a far longer project, working alongside the Council to ensure
that the Football club and the Town get back the second stadium that has been
taken from them. Winklebury is already oversubscribed and cannot accommodate
all of our boy`s and girls` teams training, let alone the other local teams
that would love to train on a 4G surface.
“The
largest Town in England without a Football League club cannot be confined to
playing at a ground that can only accommodate Southern Premier football. How
can anybody in their right mind think that by losing a second stadium can be
seen as enhancing the sporting facilities of 160,000 residents – Sport England
must act.
“Now,
thanks to you, the Community Club has a voice in the arena. We must double our
efforts to ensure we either regain control of the Camrose now planning has been
rejected… twice(!) and HCC have pulled out of the road.
“Whilst
Steve Williams and Martin French lead on this and explore with the council the
various opportunities that will arise with the long-term housing and industrial
projects planned for the near future.
“The
Community Club`s AGM on the 9th December will be the most important
meeting in our short history. There will be several new faces hoping to become
board members.
“I
believe this is the right time for me to step down from my position as chairman.
The new chairman will need the energy, vision and the expertise to drive the
club forward into the next decade. A decade that I believe will see the club
grow and prosper on and off the field into the club this wonderful town truly
deserves”. |