FOLLAND Sports have been given the green light to continue playing at their Kings Avenue home next season.
And they hope to get an extension until April 2018.
At this time last season, the club, founded in 1938 for the workers at the aircraft factory in Hamble-Le-Rice, faced an uncertain future.
American parent company GE Aviation were considering closing down the GEA Sports and Social Club with a view to selling the site.
The Planemakers were given a stay of execution of approximately one year, allowing the club to remain in the Sydenhams Premier Division.
And although 2015/16 has been a tough, old season played out against a backdrop of uncertainty, there is a flicker of light at the end of the tunnel.
Club secretary Adrian Harris said: “We can’t confirm anything yet, only that we will be playing at the ground next season.
“GE are being really supportive of the football club, the cricket club and the bowls club who use the site and are trying to come up with a longer-term solution.”
Follands – away to Bemerton on Saturday – are currently bottom of the Sydenhams Premier.
“It’s been difficult all round,” admitted Harris. “No-one is going to sponsor a team that’s effectively been waiting to close down.
“Hopefully an extension from GE will really help us.”
The Planemakers are boosted by last Saturday’s 3-2 win over Verwood which leaves them just three points adrift of second-to-bottom Alresford with two games in hand.
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