A director of Bradford Park Avenue said that he knew dreams of a new 20,000 seat stadium would “never happen” as soon as the recession hit.

Kevin Hainsworth, a retired gardener who holds the majority shareholding in the club along with chairman Dr John Dean, has also revealed that he received 300 calls from worried fans after this week’s Telegraph & Argus exclusive story that the football club’s long-term plans to move to Phoenix Park lay in tatters.

The T&A reported how the 36-acre Thornbury site had to be sold to satisfy a debt owed by club owner Bob Blackburn’s property company Kelvic Holdings.

Mr Blackburn is the club’s owner but appears not to have any shares in Bradford Park Avenue. He had said in 2008 that a 20,000 seat stadium would enable the team to grow into the Football League.

Mr Hainsworth said that the 20,000-seat figure would have probably been scaled down to 5,000 seats which he said would have been more than enough for a club with 400 regular fans.

A "winding up petition" against Kelvic was heard in Birmingham's District Registry Office yesterday and adjourned until December 5. According to official reports, Kelvic owes more than £84,000 to creditors.

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