There's been an extensive and ever moving search for a site for a ground.
The initial search resulted in a council officer's report that ruled out a couple of options that COLFC thought were viable and realistic with a little bit of investment - Wavertree Athletics Stadium and the Soccer Centre at Walton Hall Park.
Since then, the search moved onto potential partnership locations, where COLFC would work with an existing site to upgrade the facilities. There are two options still open here and one, which would have been brilliant, that seems to have succumbed to a bit of fear about the potential scale of the club a few years down the line.
In addition, the club has held meetings with AFL (they of the Stanley Park stadium proposal) to investigate the regeneration options for brownfield sites. Proposals include the club working with a development partner to deliver a stadium as part of a wider regeneration brief. COLFC hopes to be in a position to present something to the council before Christmas.
As far as playing at Bootle is concerned, the club had to have a ground in order to make it into the league this year. This year was a one-off, with the league expanding to 22 teams. Had COLFC not entered at Step 6 this season there was every chance that future applications would rely on stepping into dead men's shoes. This also raises the issue that a new club would add nothing to Step 7 in Liverpool. There's already good teams and good players at that level and below. The problem is higher up the pyramid, manifested in the fact that there is nowhere within the city boundary capable of hosting senior non-league football.
Going to support Marine or Bootle was not an option. Those clubs have been in existence for many years, with their own culture and community. It was not our job to go flooding the memberships with people of our mindset and values, essentially taking over and changing a long standing institution. COLFC is new, it is not a recreation of anything. It's not trying to be a "real" Liverpool or Everton. It's trying to be a footballing manifestation of the city's civic and social identity.
So far, so good. But the key is rapid progress towards a ground in Liverpool. Bear in mind, COLFC has set a two year time limit but AFC Wimbledon are still at the planning stage, FCUM took eight years and many other long standing clubs, like St Helens Town, Merthyr and Darlington, have had years on the road.
