Open Day Review

Pegasus open new ground in style By Sports Editor, Trevor Owens, Hereford and Worcester BBC Pegasus Juniors have hailed as an unqualified success their friendly match against Hereford United that marked the formal opening of their new ground at Old School Lane. A sizeable crowd packed the touchlines for the match in which the Hellenic League Premier Division club showed up well against their Football League visitors, although United eventually ran out 4-0 victors. Speaking to BBC Hereford and Worcester after the match, Pegasus' Director Chris Wells said they were delighted by how the evening had gone: "It's been wonderful; we had a gate I guess of 500-plus, but we haven't worked it out yet. "We've made a bob or two to be honest, and that was the whole aim of the exercise; we're very pleased with the evening." Grants from such groups as the Football Foundation and generous donations from local businesses and individuals have enabled Pegasus to spend around £100 thousand in upgrading the facilities at the ground. This work has included taking up the pitch to install drainage, and then relaying it, while they have also put in a floodlight system and other essential infrastructure, such as a grandstand. Redevelopment Chris Wells said the match against Hereford ended what was a major phase of the redevelopment of Old School Lane, but it is a bit like the painting of the proverbial bridge; there's always more work to be done: "Like most projects, it's never ending; we know where we're aiming for - we're probably 80% of the way there. "But there'll be more work throughout the season and in the closed season. "We'd like to get promotion to the Southern League, but in reality, we probably can't afford it." Chris admits that the Hellenic Premier Division is probably the highest level at which the club can realistically expect to play; anything higher than this involves paying players sizeable amounts of money - something he says the club doesn't do. "We'd like to get promotion to the Southern League, but in reality, we probably can't afford it." Chris Wells' view of Pegasus' realistic objectivesLast season's Hellenic League Premier Division champions, Slimbridge, came unstuck when their players reportedly asked for increases ahead of the side's entry into the Southern League Midlands Division - an agreement couldn't be reached, and so the club has now withdrawn, opting instead to return to county league football. Chris Wells says the club's officials won't entertain jeopardising Pegasus' future by chasing a dream: "That's something that we won't do; as a Board of Directors we've said we will not commit ourselves to pay something that we can't afford on a week to week basis. "We're very disappointed; Slimbridge are good friends of ours, but the players got greedy unfortunately, and that's football from top to bottom." Many in Hereford often wonder why Pegasus opted to play in the Hellenic League rather than West Midlands League football, as preferred by city rivals Westfields and Hinton. Out on a limb Chris Wells accepts that geographically their league's catchment area means that Pegasus are out on something of a limb, but he feels that, in the long run, they don't lose out: "Our nearest home game in the league is in the Forest of Dean, but then we only have one more game before we get to Oxford or Swindon. "The decision was taken before I joined the club, but those who made it thought that the Hellenic League gave the lads more opportunity to play football. "With all due respect, the Midland route was thought to be a little more kick and rush! "There's a comparison on one of the websites, and I think that you'll find that Westfields have further to travel than we do - there's not a lot in it." Pegasus Juniors will open their Hellenic League Premier Division season on Saturday 11 August when they will host Badshot Lea at Old School Lane in a 3pm kick off.

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