Hopes of keeping Preston's National Football Museum appear to be fading away, after Museum bosses confirmed plans to open a new £8 million pound centre in Manchester.
Preston has been home to the museum since 2001, and houses some of the most significant items from the history of football. Items on display include the 1966 Jules Rimmet World Cup trophy, the match ball from a host of major events, and shirts worn by the England team in the first international football match, England v Scotland in 1872.
But an ongoing battle to block the move to Manchester's Urbis centre has now failed, leaving staff and local councillors furious and feeling let down by the museum's "spineless" leaders.
The new plans mean the Preston centre will remain open until at least 2011, though its future beyond then is in serious doubt.
Preston council leader Ken Hudson said: "The trustees have given two fingers to the people of Preston and Lancashire and they are spineless and taken no notice of the historical importance to Preston as the home of football.
"Preston has been totally betrayed by the museum's chairman, Paul Dermody and its director, Kevin Moore."
But Mr Dermody defended the trustees decision, and denied that any plans had yet been formalised.
He said: "It's been in our minds for a long time. We were given a phenomenal once in a lifetime opportunity to put it in an economic building on a world stage and improve what we have. The Preston site is a fantastic museum.
"We hope further discussions with the Lancashire partnership will see this this national treasure remain open in Preston into the future. Importantly, the Museum's future in the North-West has been secured. We firmly believe this is a win-win situation."
alistair gardner, manchester around 2 years, 2 months ago