Tough battle to convince Lancashire members

The scene during the Ashes Test at Old Trafford, when 10,000 fans couldn't make it into the ground © Getty Images

A county AGM is rarely an event to stir the emotions, but Lancashire's annual gathering at Old Trafford at the weekend has reignited the issue of the club moving away from its current ground to a new, purpose built stadium in Wigan. However, for all the talking, feasibility studies, and head scratching the idea of Lancashire moving is still hard to take seriously.

The issue has been floating around for more than two years. Relocating to East Manchester, the site of the Commonwealth Games stadium and now Manchester City Football Club, was the first option but this has slowly fizzled away after a drawn out study and a lack of solid support from Manchester City Council. Wigan has come up on the blindside after the local council offered Lancashire an attractive package of land, which would allow for a modern stadium, reportedly complete with a sliding roof.

But Lancashire moving away from its home of 149 years is still very much pie in the sky. It would represent a huge gamble, putting at risk the Test status that keeps the club in a strong financial position - as their 2005 profit of over half a million pounds testifies. Members are being told that the club would not loose Test status because of any move, but the examples of Chester-le-Street and the Rose Bowl show how long it takes a new pitch to settle down. Even if they were to run two grounds concurrently - therefore continuing international matches at Old Trafford as the new stadium was prepared - the ECB would still need to be assured of the new ground's readiness for top-level matches.

However, beyond the bedding in of new pitches and fancy sliding roofs (it doesn't always rain in Lancashire, and the use of a roof at the Telstra Dome in Melbourne has brought mixed reviews) the crux of this debate is that the final decision lies in the hands of members. They can be a feisty bunch - just ask any player who has to wade through the 'pit of hate' in front of pavilion after scoring a duck - but are not known for radical decision making. It doesn't matter how much persuading the chief executive, Jim Cumbes, does it is going to be very difficult to find enough support for a move among members who know Lancashire's home as Old Trafford.

According to reports from Saturday's AGM, there are more ripples of interest occurring than in previous years, but not nearly enough for a wave of support. The proposal for Wigan is attractive; a 15,000 seat stadium (smaller than the current ground), with the option for a further 10,000 temporary seats for international matches, copious amounts of car parking and a new railway station. However, there are many factors in favour of the current location.

The Metrolink tram stops just outside the ground, the Old Trafford Lodge now has a healthy turnover, the link with Manchester United has created a world-famous sporting area and they have a lucrative sideline in sell-out concerts during the season. The connection with the football club can't be underestimated, with the use of the cricket ground's car parking and hospitality a major source of income. Also, whether you are a 'Red Devil' or not, living alongside such a powerful brand as United brings with it strong marketing and financial benefits.

The Wigan plans include a hotel and a mass of leisure facilities, but members rarely think in such stark business terms - their major concern is the runs of wickets of Stuart Law and Gary Keedy - which is why it will prove incredibly hard to push a move through. Cumbes has asked them to think of the clubs' future and not be blinkered by their feelings for the history and tradition of Old Trafford. That is easier said than done. The business heads are the ones leading this debate, but it will be the hearts of the members that will have the final say.