Swindon Town FC buy County Ground in £2.3m deal

Swindon Town Football Club has confirmed the purchase of its County Ground home in a £2.3million deal.

The landmark joint venture to buy the stadium from Swindon Borough Council sees the fans secure a 50% stake with the rest held by club owner and chairman Clem Morfuni.

It means, after years of debate and delay, the future of the ground where Swindon have played since 1896 has been secured.

Australian businessman Morfuni, who took ownership of the club in July 2021, said: “This is a major step forward for the club and lays the foundations for our future success."

The breakthrough has been made possible by the legacy left in his will by lifelong Swindon fan Nigel Eady who died in 2012.

Chairman of TrustSTFC, the supporters' group, Steve Mytton, added: “This is a fantastic day for our great football club and we should be excited about the future thatlies ahead.

"Supporters will play a crucial role in our decision-making, which will strengthen our relationship and enable us to embrace a brighter future together, with the people who love this club at the helm.”

The historic deal is being seen as a chance for significant developments across the stadium using the money saved on paying rent to the council as the club had done for years.

Rob Carter, from the Nigel Eady Trust, added: “We’re delighted this deal is finally over the line. It’s been a long process, but we can now look forward with great optimism as there are some tremendous opportunities to take Swindon Town forward both on and off the pitch.”

Leader of Swindon Borough Council Cllr David Renard added: “There has been so much to work through here, but we finally got the right outcome and it’s been down to great teamwork from all parties involved."