BRACKNELL Town FC will have to leave Larges Lane if they reach their goal of playing higher up the non-league football pyramid, writes Dave Wright.

"Our ground has a D grading and we cannot go any higher," says chairman Kayne Steinborn-Busse, whose ultimate aim is to take the club into the National League.

Despite concerns of some local residents, there are no plans to build a brand new national league 5,000-seater compliant stadium nearby.

What is being planned for Ranelagh School playing fields will be entirely for pupils and young members of the football club.

At the same time, however, a new ground for the first team is under consideration. Long term, it could be a brand new site in the area; short-term it could mean ground sharing with another club currently playing in step one, two of three.

"Even before I came here, the club was looking to leave Larges Lane," confirmed Steinborn-Busse.

"Our recent ground grading saw us given a Grade D, but it was made very clear to us that due to our capacity it can't get a C.

"So it means Larges Lane is at the end of its shelf life above this level, we cannot remain here.

"We cannot create more space for spectators to satisfy the FA, as we are penned in on all four sides. Our clubhouse and food areas are also not big enough."

He added: "My role as chairman and CEO is to prepare for the club's future. We have been very successful in recent years and we want to keep progressing.

"You can never make assumptions about whether you are going to get promoted, but you would be foolish if you don't have a plan if in the coming years we achieve this goal.

"We want to go up to Step 3 in the next one, two or three years"

When the club does move away, the ground has already been earmarked in the town's strategic plan for housing with an allocation for up to 102 dwellings.

This coming Saturday, Bracknell are away to Wessex League side Bournemouth in the preliminary round of the FA Cup.