A NON-LEAGUE football club has distanced itself from plans to upgrade a car park close to its home ground.

Southend Manor host their home fixtures at Southchurch Park and the east car park, on Lifstan Way, is in line to be resurfaced and improved.

After coming in for criticism, the Essex Senior League outfit has claimed they did not submit the proposals.

A club statement read: “Over the past few days, we have been aware of some false inaccuracies involving Southend Manor Football Club that we would like to address.

“Firstly, Southend Manor Football Club have no involvement of any sort with Southend Council’s proposals for developing the Southchurch Park East Car Park which resides on Lifstan Way. Furthermore, we have no opinion of the proposed works as a result.

“Secondly, in recent days, there has been a false rumour that we will be bringing coaches down to Southend to train local children and will be parked in Southchurch Park East Car Park. That rumour is false as we only intend to bring human coaches to Southend to train local kids and not the ones with four wheels and an engine!”

Southend Manor are vying to make changes to their ground in order to meet FA ground grading guidelines.

Without the alterations, the club claim they would face liquidation.

The club statement added: “In regards to our proposed ground works, we have now also proposed to local residents that we will plant 235m of hedging to conceal the fence which will be seen as a benefit environmentally to the local area and our own personal carbon footprint.

“Please also note that we will not be shutting off our site at all during the week and it will be open to the public all day when matches are not played.

“Additionally, the fence that we have proposed to install is required to meet FA ground grading for the league we have been in for the past 35 years or we shall be removed from the Essex Senior League via relegation, which would put the club’s future in serious jeopardy leading to potential liquidation within two years.

“Furthermore, these plans involving our ground grading can see us confirm that we have no intention or interest to climb up the leagues and become a professional status football club.”