Former Portsmouth FC chief executive Peter Storrie was serving tea at the Liss Village Festival last Saturday.

That’s a long way from the gilded confines of Premier League hospitality suites, but anyone connected with the village’s football club didn’t bat an eyelid.

The Hampshire League, rather than the Premier League, is where it’s at these days for the former West Ham, Notts County and Charlton bigwig. The chairman of Liss Athletic got involved in the club more than a decade ago and oversees everything from finances to serving matchday beverages at the bar.

But their time at Newman Collard could be coming to an end, as the club has begun moves to relocate to a new ground and start climbing the football ladder.

The cricket club site off Farnham Road is being slowly converted into a home capable of hosting Step 6 or 5 non-league football, with changing facilities, fencing and stands all in the pipeline.

The club hopes to start playing Hampshire League fixtures in West Liss around Christmas or early 2025, with the target being a top five finish. If the club kicks on as hoped, then expect an application to join the Wessex League for the first time.

Liss Athletic won’t be able to climb the non-league pyramid while they are based at Newman Collard. The recreation ground has its charm, and it’s in a good location close to the village centre, but that’s also been a problem and there’s been frequent issues with anti-social behaviour and vandalism over the years.

As it’s a public space, it can’t be fenced off and there’s no scope for creating the stands necessary to reach Step 5 or 6 non-league status. So while it will be a shame to leave Newman Collard, if the club wants to expand then relocation must be considered.

“Newman Collard is managed by a playing fields trust,” said Mr Storrie to Tony Incenzo in a Non-League Paper feature.

“For us to move up the Wessex League, we would need to fence off the site and have at least two covered areas – one terraced and one for seated spectators. We can’t do that in an open field setting.

“We’ve been using the local cricket ground on Farnham Road for our juniors. The cricket club haven’t been active for a few years.

“The aim is to relocate the first team down there on a full-time basis to develop Step 6 facilities.”

He added: “We are going to play our pre-season friendies at the cricket club and will then hopefully host Hampshire League fixtures there from Christmas time. 

“Our target is to finish in the top five at the end of the 2024/25 season so we can apply for Wessex League status.”

The Petersfield Post has already touched upon the relocation as a planning application for temporary cabins to provide changing accommodation was approved a few months ago.

The cabins, which arrived in early June, have been deemed surplus to requirements at ambitious Wessex League Premier League side, Baffins Milton Rovers.

Liss Athletic have received another hand-me-down from another Wessex League side as floodlights have come from Moneyfields, who are moving to a new stadium next door to their Dover Road home. The floodlights are currently in storage, but planning permission will be needed for their installation and further developments like terraced and seated stands.

There’s also the issue of funding. The Football Foundation can provide grants but the club needs to raise at least a quarter of investment costs, and that could amount to £100,000 or more.

With a population of more than 6,000, it’s not unrealistic to suggest that Liss could sustain a higher level of football. Clubs like Aveley and Forest Green Rovers play at the second and first level of non-league football, respectively, and represent similarly sized villages.

That’s not the goal for Liss Athletic, though, and getting a foothold in the Wessex League is the target for now. But it’s exciting.

Mr Storrie added: “By getting our own closed venue, I’m confident we can proceed a long way, certainly Step 5.

“I’m not sure of going above that tier but in years to come, who knows?”