Dolphins' promotion won't be placed in jeopardy by ground-grading issues.

VICE-chairman Chris Reeves sounded out a defiant message to critics of Poole Town’s Tatnam headquarters and insisted the club’s promotion would not be placed in jeopardy by ground-grading issues.

The Dolphins last night continued their celebrations when they were presented with the Southern League championship trophy ahead of their clash with Premier Division rivals Bideford.

Poole won the title with two games to spare after beating Dunstable on Saturday – capping a remarkable rise from the Hampshire League to the National League in 12 years.

Their rapid ascent, however, has not been without its problems and the club – founded in 1890 – have been blighted by ground issues ever since being kicked out of Poole Stadium in 1994.

Poole moved to their current base on a school playing field in 2005 and had to spend more than £300,000 to meet Southern League requirements following promotion from the Wessex League.

And while the venue passed a preliminary inspection to stage National South football earlier this season, Poole have until the end of March 2017 to carry out certain improvements or run the risk of being demoted.

Reeves told the Daily Echo: “We had 10 weeks to upgrade the facilities to get the certificate to stay in the Southern Premier and pulled it off.

“I am not suggesting that what we have to do this time is going to be any easier and we still have to find the money, which is always difficult. But we haven’t come this far to fail on ground grading.

“First and foremost, we have the certificate for the level at which we play and that entitles us to be promoted. By the end of next March, we have to satisfy the requirements for National League South.

“We need to install three new turnstiles so we have six in total and we need seated accommodation for 300 people in one stand.

“At the moment, we have 262 seats in the Main Stand and 50 in a second stand so we have to merge the two.

“We also have to upgrade the floodlights and have a hospitality facility for visiting officials adjacent to the Main Stand.”

Despite the considerable costs associated with promotion, Reeves also said there were a number of benefits.

He added: “National League South is the lowest level to which the television money descends. I don’t think it’s a huge amount but I believe it’s around £15,000 so that is a nice bonus.

“I would expect our profile to be much higher and we should be more attractive to sponsors.

“I would like to think there are business people in Poole and Bournemouth who are taking note of what we are doing and may want to talk to me about being part of the set-up.

“I am also expecting us to have a honeymoon period regarding attendances at the start of next season and we all recognise it will be down to us to take advantage of that. We need to make sure as many of the new faces are sufficiently impressed to keep coming back.

Mind-blowingly obvious observation that the more people you get through the gate, the easier it is to run a successful football club

As a club Id like to think we have proved we can put a decent side on the picth and provide good value for money in terms of cost of attending and that’s our aim in higher league