Twin towers sold to Devon club for pounds 302.98. Plus moving costs.
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Your support makes all the difference.WHAT PROVED impossible for the multi-millionaire Mohamed Al Fayed and Nationwide Building Society was accomplished by Seaton Town yesterday, when the club from the Devon and Exeter League bought Wembley's twin towers for pounds 302.98. Now they just need pounds 30m to move them.
Seaton Town - average gate 150 - raised the first sum on a fun day with a bouncy castle and coconut shy. The money has been spent on new kit for the club's three teams, but while it was burning a hole in pockets a tongue-in-cheek offer was sent for Wembley's famous landmarks.
To their great surprise it was accepted yesterday by Wembley National Stadium on the day the pounds 475m plans for the new structure were unveiled - subject to the small matter of the financial and technological capacity to move the solid concrete towers.
The cost was set at pounds 20m to pounds 30m, which frightened away both the Harrods owner - who had tentative plans to make them the centrepiece of a new bridge across the Thames near Fulham's Craven Cottage ground - andNationwide, which had hoped to erect them at its headquartersin Swindon.
"We thought the towers would look impressive either side of the new stand," said Seaton's chairman, Matthew Lawrence. "It seats 112."
Mr Lawrence - who has already had to calm worries at Devon County Council, which contacted the club wanting to know if it had planning permission - said. "Obviously the offer was a bit of fun, but it has a serious side because I don't think there's a football fan in the country who wants to see the twin towers demolished.
"It's a bit of football tradition that's going and I don't think anyone can save them now.
"We're going to ask if we can have a bit of concrete from the towers once the workmen have demolished them. It'll make a nice memento."
And if he could raise the pounds 30m? "We would gratefully accept donations," Mr Lawrence replied.
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