By MELISSAWHEELER, Lyme Regis News 29th July 2005

LYME Regis Football club has stressed its support. for the extremely controversial Strawberry Field project.

It was reported last week that the club had written to the town council and pulled out as the lead organisation in the scheme.

The club says it is still very much behind the project and it is its intention to remain a partner and to contribute to the funding if and when a scheme to improve sporting facilities materialises.

In a statement chairman Philip Evans said that they felt an organisation with more clout such as the town council or development trust would be more successful in achieving a solution to the site's planning problems.

He said; "Our continuing as the lead organisation was jeopardising our financial stability when we are faced with costly ground improvements at Davey Fort.

"We are still very much behind efforts to provide Lyme Regis with sporting facilities that are provided in other West Dorset towns and we will do all we can in the future to bring this about."

A report in last week's News said the club was in £11,000 debt, this should have read an £11,000 deficit on their Strawberry Field account, which has been met in full out of general club finance and is not a debt.

At the club's annual meeting last Thursday, treasurer Graham Paterson reported a profit on the season of nearly £4,000, the club's best trading performance since 2001.

Officers elected were president Barbara Austin, chairman Philip Evans, vice chairman Lee Caddy, secretary Dave Reed and treasurer Graham Paterson.

The new club committee was meeting this week to appoint managers for the coming season.