But the big news for 1998 was not the relegation but rather the news of a take-over of the indebted club by a consortium headed by former England forward Rodney Marsh. They would not only clear the club debts but planned a development of the Homelands site. The deal ultimately collapsed but the ownership of the freehold of Homelands was now separated from the football operation. As a safeguard a trust of former club directors placed a covenant on the ground which stipulated that a new stadium had to be built if the Homelands site was sold for development. Along came another consortium fronted by John Gurney but they were unable to continue financing the club. The football club survived when Tim Thorogood acquired the football club in 2001 and struck a lease arrangement with the owners of the Homelands freehold.