It's all over now but arguments over FA's decision to go on
Thursday, December 17, 2009, 08:16
IN the end, togetherness lost out to disunity. Derby's bid, with a stadium and most of its infrastructure in place, was beaten by Nottingham's, which does not have a ground or even the full backing of its two main councils.
The incredulity of those involved in Derby's presentations was almost tangible as they gathered at the Varsity pub to hear the announcement on Sky Sports News.
As soon as the word Nottingham was uttered by selection panel chairman Lord Mawhinney, they knew the game was up.
Other cities, including Plymouth and Bristol, were also given the green light despite their stadia needing to be built or dramatically extended. But Hull and Leicester also missed out. It is Nottingham's success, however, which rankles most.
The history of its bid is chequered and the future of its proposed stadium is without resolution.
Its presentation was led by Nottingham City Council and Nottingham Forest.
However, their ambitious plans are for a stadium outside the city at Gamston.
It is within the boundaries of Nottinghamshire County Council, which has rejected the development proposals.
The leaders of the two councils have been involved in a war of words for months.
County council leader Kay Cutts withdrew support for the bid if a site at Gamston was the only option for a stadium.
It was, however, the only option presented to the FA this week.
Mrs Cutts claimed the city council and Nottingham Forest did not consult the county council before announcing their proposals for the stadium.
Jon Collins, leader of Nottingham City Council, accused the county council of dishonesty.
Nottingham's success has left people across Derby, including those from Derby City Council and Derby County Football Club, who led its bid, baffled and angry.
Derby County president and chief executive Tom Glick said: "The FA told us all along that they would pick cities that were low risk and there have been questions about Nottingham's stadium and a lack of consensus among the organisations involved.
"We're all greatly disappointed. Thousands of hours of hard work has been put in across the city from a number of agencies. We need to get some feedback as to why the bid was not successful.''
Adam Wilkinson, chief executive of Derby City Council, said: "I'm shocked and disappointed. I was expecting at least two East Midlands cities to be chosen because that's what the FA hinted there was potential for. It hurts but Nottingham is 14 miles down the road and Derby can still play a part."
Professor John Coyne, vice-chancellor of the University of Derby, which also supported the bid, said: "The entire team at the city and the club did a great job in putting together the most compelling proposition. It is a travesty the cities selected are as they are.
"The technically least compelling bid in the Midlands scoops the prize on the back of promises riddled by disputes.
"I have been on the Nottingham Evening Post website and even correspondents there cannot believe that Derby didn't get it."
John Vicars, Derby County's vice-president of operations, said: "I haven't got a clue why it failed because we submitted a fully-compliant bid. There was no indication over the past seven months that anything was untoward or didn't comply with the FA's criteria.
"When Nottingham was read out I was surprised because they have had well-publicised problems and difficulties with their stadium, but we'll wait and see what the FA says."
Sam Whitworth, Derby City Council's project manager for the bid, said she was extremely disappointed.
She said: "I'm gutted. It's been six months of hard work by a lot of people.
"Everybody who has helped put the bid together has done it alongside their day job."
The total cost of Derby's campaign came to £140,000 and the city will not get its money back.
But Ms Whitworth insisted the bid had not been a waste of time or money.
She said: "We can't look at it like that. Despite the negative outcome it's been a very positive experience.
"We've formed some very good relationships with people in the city that will serve us well in the future.
"We're now a practised city in putting bids in and I'm confident Derby still faces a big future."
Former Rams striker Roger Davies summed up the feelings of football fans across Derby.
He said: "I watched it on television, along with everyone else, and once you heard Nottingham's name announced that's when you knew it was curtains for us.
"Who is going to invest the money in Nottingham's new stadium? Is it going to come from the Government, or from the World Cup fund?
"They've got a ready-made stadium in Derby, as advanced as any in the East Midlands, that would have only needed small changes to bring it up to capacity.
"And why, of all the cities in there, did two in the East Midlands get dropped? Questions need to be asked."
Heartbeat actor Steven Blakeley, from Derby, was another who said he would like to know the reasons Nottingham was chosen ahead of Derby. He said: "Given the fact that Derby has everything Nottingham has – and had a unified bid rather than the infighting in Nottingham – it's a very surprising decision.
"I will be interested to hear the reasons."
Secret Millionaire star Kavita Oberoi, who is based in the city, said the news was a massive blow to business in Derby.
She said: "We have the infrastructure in Derby, especially with the level that Pride Park Stadium is already at, and better travel links.
"It's a real blow. Derby was so much further on than Nottingham. Surely it would have been a better choice?"
Richard Williams, the city council's assistant director for regeneration and bid leader, said Derby would be ready if Nottingham had to pull out due to its stadium problems.
He said: "Nottingham has had its problems so we could still be needed.
"But I wouldn't wish anything to go wrong with any of the other cities because that is the last thing England's World Cup bid needs.
"We'll still be able to have the fan zones and all we can do is try and capitalise on the benefits of having the World Cup come to the East Midlands should it come to Nottingham."
England 2018 chief executive Andy Anson said: "Derby did a very good, professional job all the way through this. We just had to make decisions that made the strongest possible bid for 2018 and that's what we believe we have done."
He declined, however, to say why Derby had not been picked to be part of England's bid.
When questioned about Nottingham, Mr Anson said: "I think we felt it was worth taking that risk.
"We did look at Nottingham's bid in its entirety and it was one of the most impressive bids.
"We do want some newly-built stadiums in England's bid and the stadium plans were very exciting for Nottingham."