Clubs join forces to bid for Boots ground

Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club are planning to link up with with Notts County FC and Boots plc to become joint owners of the Boots Sports Ground at Lady Bay.

But the Cricket Club have strongly denied suggestions that links with Notts County could become far more extensive and may even involve the sharing of staff.

A statement issued from Trent Bridge today said: "We wish to make it clear that discussions relating to 'joining forces' with Notts County are solely focussed on the possibility of joint ownership with the Boots plc Sports Ground as an academy/Second XI facility.

"Such an arrangement would be of immense benefit to all parties. By pooling the expertise and resources of the partners and sharing of investment in new facilities, the Lady Bay Complex could become a centre of excellence for a number of sports, particularly football and cricket.

"Discussions between Boots plc, Notts County FC and Notts CCC are on-going and it is hoped that arrangements can be progressed by the end of this year. It is naturally assumed that the Football Club will no longer be in administration before the joint ownership can be concluded.

"The invitation of Cricket Club Chairman Albert Bocking to stand for election as a Director of Notts County FC will assist in the development of the proposed project at Lady Bay.

"Notts County FC already market International Cricket Match tickets and the Cricket Club has a similar mutually beneficial relationship with Nottingham Forest FC."

Notts CCC have been leasing Boots Sports Ground, which is situated a few hundred yards from Trent Bridge, for the past few years with the club's ground staff overseeing the preparation of pitches.

The facilities are already used extensively for hosting Second XI and county representative team matches and practise.