Barnet Football Club is looking for a new home outside the borough after Tory council leader Victor Lyon effectively destroyed plans for stadium to the south of Underhill.

In a sensational new twist to the club's stadium saga, Barnet chairman Tony Kleanthous said the club faced an "Armageddon" situation after a crisis meeting on Tuesday. In it, Councillor Lyon reneged on promises by the previous Labour administration and refused to sell the council-owned land required for the new project to go ahead.

"We were told that even if the Government Office for London gave approval for south of Underhill, the Tory council would block the deal," a shattered Mr Kleanthous said. "Victor Lyon said he had no intention of selling the land to us which has left us in the position of having to relocate or ground share outside of the borough in order to give our players something to play for and to get the approval of the football authorities."

Mr Kleanthous revealed the club had several options to relocate and were openly invited to move to the New Rivers stadium in Haringey before unveiling plans for its new £12million stadium in Barnet instead.

The club's board members also accused Mr Lyon of stalling on a further option first proposed on May 30 to keep the Bees in the borough by retaining the existing Underhill stadium. By taking it out of Green Belt and extending the north terrace, the Bees would become eligible to win promotion to the Football League and win a further three years respite to upgrade the stadium.Mr Kleanthous had hoped to discuss the proposal before full council on Monday but was told that it had been taken off the agenda.

"The Tory councillors are openly trying to kill the club," said Mr Kleanthous. "We have to meet the Football League requirements by April 1, 2003. We have to move quickly to get everything in place. We will have to look at a temporary ground share options like Leyton Orient again.

"We were also very close to securing the biggest sponsorship deal in the club's and the Conference's history but that has gone now as well."

But Mr Lyon said: "I hope they will stay in the borough but I just feel I cannot give an off-the-cuff 'yes' to redesignating Green Belt land, bearing in mind the strength of feeling in the local area."

Former council leader Alan Williams, said: "This is a tragedy for Barnet Football Club, the borough and the supporters. The Tories have forced the death knell of the club."

June 19, 2002 15:00