Doncaster could be hosting British League athletics next season.
Ambitious Doncaster Athletic Club have submitted an application to join the UK’s top league and will compete with other interested parties against the lowest placed BAL club in a qualifier on September 21.
“We are not sure at this stage who we will be up against as the deadline for applications isn’t until the end of the month,” said club chairman Kevin Lincoln.
The club made the decision to apply at a recent board meeting in a bid to stem the loss of top talent.
“We’ve already lost half-a-dozen really good young athletes in the last couple of years or so after they have become too old to compete in the National Youth Development League,” said Lincoln.
“The idea behind the bid to get into the British League is to retain the elite athletes beyond the age of 18 and 19
“Currently being in the Northern 3EC League the club is not in any other competition that some of the top athletes – who want something more out of the sport – are interested in, so they go to other clubs.
“The hope is that if we can provide that extra level of competition, then not only will more of our best athletes stay on but we’ll also attract athletes from other clubs, which is already starting to happen.”
The club are hoping to field their strongest possible team for the biggest meeting in their history.
It had been feared when the Keepmoat Stadium was opened in 2007 that the fact it was only a six-lane track would limit the club’s future British League aspirations.
There had been talk of an attempt to raise funds for an extension.
“Fortunately, within the division we would be starting in were we to prove successful, an eight-lane track is not essential,” said Lincoln.
“In fact there aren’t many eight-lane tracks around and there are a number of clubs who are already in the League who have only got six-lane tracks.”