BetVictor North side Romford Football Club have today announced that former Billericay Town owner Glenn Tamplin has agreed to join the club. The club have said it's a move that will secure both their short term and long term future.
Chairman Steve Gardener said “The club have been struggling for some time now due to lack of finances and resources, and our aim of getting back to Romford in our own ground is a must, but myself and Colin Ewenson, are not in a position to drive the club forward and deliver the new ground. We have been looking for an investor to come on board, and with his previous experience, and success we are looking forward to being able to move the club forward.”
The Boro who were reformed in 1992 after the second incarnation of the club had folded in 1978 after losing their historic Brooklands ground in 1977 which was easily one of the best stadiums outside of the football league.
Since reformation they have played at Hornchurch, Rush Green, Collier Row's Sungate (where the club's merged in 1996 to form Collier Row & Romford before changing back to Romford in 1997), Aveley's Mill Field, Thurrock FC's Ship Lane, East Thurrcok United's Rookery Hill and from the start of this season at Brentwood Town.
It's been a real struggle for the Essex club in their recent history - since winning the 2009 Essex Senior League they have finished 13th, 12th, 13th, 8th, 11th, 20th, 16th, 16th, 23rd and 19th in the Isthmian League North Division. This season they are bottom of the table with just one win in eleven league games played with their average league crowd being 109.5 in their six home games so far. It may have been a battle but for a club with no ground and limited resources to stay at step four of the non-league ladder for over 10 seasons is a fantastic achievement for everyone involved.
Their ultimate goal is to move back to Romford to a ground they can call home. Planning permission was granted in 2009 to build a stadium at Westlands Playing Fields on London Road but there has been no developments since.
It's certainly going to be an interesting period over the next few months at the bottom of the BetVictor North Division. Hopefully with the new announcement it'll attract a few more people through to the attendances at their forthcoming games.
ROMFORD FOOTBALL CLUB FORTHCOMING FIXTURES
Saturday 16th November - COGGESHALL TOWN
Saturday 23rd November - Dereham Town
Wednesday 27th November - BARKING - Velocity Trophy Group 2
Saturday 30th November - TILBURY
Saturday 7th December - Felixstowe & Walton United
Saturday 14th December - HULLBRIDGE SPORTS
Saturday 21st December - BRENTWOOD TOWN
Saturday 28th December - Aveley
BETVICTOR NORTH DIVISION
CURRENT TABLE - BOTTOM FIVE ONLY
| POS | TEAM | P | GD | PTS | PPG | FORM |
| 16. | WITHAM TOWN | 12 | -9 | 11 | 0.92 | LLLWLL |
| 17. | BRENTWOOD TOWN | 10 | -5 | 9 | 0.90 | DLWWDD |
| 18. | FELIXSTOWE & WALTON | 12 | -12 | 8 | 0.67 | LLLLDL |
| 19. | BASILDON UNITED | 10 | -7 | 5 | 0.50 | LDLDLL |
| 20. | ROMFORD | 11 | -21 | 5 | 0.45 | DLWLDL |