Farsley Celtic to play upcoming home games in Derbyshire

Ongoing work on the playing surface at The Citadel, their usual home venue, has led to the Vanarama National League North side playing numerous “home” games on the road.

Guiseley have hosted them at Nethermoor, while they used Bradford (Park Avenue)’s Horsfall for a couple of matches earlier this month.

But they have failed to reach an agreement with the BD6 club to take that partnership forward, with Farsley saying that Avenue “were unable to accept one of the terms put forward by the league”.

Avenue have been hosting Farsley's games at Horsfall, as well as their own, but that agreement between the two clubs has now ended. (Image: John Rhodes.)

Since their initial statement, Farsley have moved to clarify what that clause was.

The National League told Avenue they would have to give the Celts priority over fixtures at Horsfall, given the BD6 side play two division below their near-neighbours.

Unsurprisingly, landlords Avenue were not willing to play second fiddle at their own ground, so the Celts were forced to look elsewhere.

And Farsley’s search for a new venue has led them, rather strangely on the face of it, to the town of Buxton in Derbyshire.

The Celts will play all of their next five home games at Buxton’s Tarmac Silverlands Stadium, up to and including their clash with Brackley Town on Saturday, December 21.

Farsley say they hope to return to playing back at The Citadel from that date, but confirm the deal with Buxton is in place until the end of the 2024/25 season if needs be.

After confirming their agreement with Avenue had been cancelled, Farsley said: “This gave us a very short period to find an alternative solution, and there are very few grounds close to us that meet the ground grading requirements by the league, and even fewer that were willing to help.

“We are hugely grateful to Buxton for their assistance in this matter and we very much look forward to using their facility for our forthcoming matches.”

National League North action at Buxton's ground back in December 2022. (Image: John Rhodes.)

Their statement added: “Now we are in receipt of the details of the embargo, we have also agreed a timescale and strategy to come out of this with the league.

“We have also agreed start and finish dates and a schedule of works for the pitch upgrade with the league.

“These will both be updated shortly.”

The decision to move home games to Buxton has understandably not proved popular among fans on social media, with most disbelieving that the club could not find a ground closer to play at.

Others have also expressed their displeasure, with the news also affecting upcoming visiting sides and their supporters at short notice.

It will certainly be a trek for Celts season ticket holders to attend the next five games, with the 136-mile round trip one that takes well over three hours there and back from Farsley.