MINEHEAD Football Club has scored a golden goal with a landmark deal to secure its future in the town for the next 25 years.

Club leaders have signed a new lease with Minehead Town Council for the Somerset County League side's Irnham Road ground and facilities.

Although negotiations have been floundering in extra time for the past six years or so, with the ink now dry on the deal the club is promising the start of a bright new era.

The lease - which was agreed in principle a year ago - will also open the door for hoped for and desperately needed grant aid to bring the run-down grandstand, changing rooms and bar area up to 21st century standards.

And club leaders are hoping that the massive overhaul needed will be achieved in time for the club's 125th anniversary in October 2014.

Adrian Giblett, chairman of Minehead Football Academy, which includes representatives of the senior and junior sides, said the club was ready to move forward and oversee huge changes.

"We have battled for the lease for many years and we now have a fantastic opportunity to improve the facilities to a standard that will be the envy of many clubs and a building that the town can be proud of," he said.

Mr Giblett admitted that the current facilities were in a poor state but initial plans for an estimated £120,000 refurbishment had already been discussed.

The work would include making the building watertight, installing heating, refurbishing the changing rooms and showers, updating the electrics and putting in a new kitchen, as well as complete redecoration.

"Basically we need to gut the building and carry out a total refurbishment," said Mr Giblett.

But although the council has earmarked £25,000 to help cover the cost of the work and the club is hoping to secure funding from the Football Association and possibly the National Lottery, Mr Giblett said the support of the local community was needed more than ever:

"We have had many people and businesses promise to support us once the lease is signed.

"Well, we now need those people to come forward. This is a real challenge and any help will be appreciated.

"We need people with all sorts of skills, from those who know how to apply for grants to those who can hold a screwdriver.

"We want to make this a building that everyone can be proud of, somewhere that is an attraction and a venue that can be used by a variety of local groups as well as the football club."

Mr Giblett said the people currently leading the club were all volunteers: "We all work and have other commitments so we need all the help we can get."

He said the first stage would be to involve all users of the premises so detailed plans of what the building should look like could be drawn up.

"It's been a long struggle to get to this stage, a long time coming. But the council has now given us the opportunity to make it work and we are determined to succeed."

Minehead AFC chairman Brian Walder said many people, including numerous councillors, had put a great deal of hard work into the lease which had now been agreed.

"This is probably the most positive news the club has had in the past two decades," he said.

"We can now look forward and build a club for our future footballing generations."

The club has negotiated a relatively low annual rent for the ground and buildings and licence to play - £600 - which reflects the current condition of the facilities.

Minehead Mayor Cllr Tony Berry, who signed the historic agreement, told the Free Press he was delighted that the long running negotiations between the club and the council had finally come to fruition.

He said the council was currently seeking estimates to demolish the former Barringtons venue on the Irnham Road ground, which has not been used by the club for a number of years and is not included in the new lease.

"The football club now has a future and everyone is pleased about that," said Cllr Berry.

"I want to forget the past and move on. It is important that we all work together and I hope that will happen and together we can create a first rate facility."

Anyone willing to offer their help in the refurbishment project should email officials via the club's website at http://www.mineheadafc.co.uk">www.mineheadafc.co.uk