CUTTING stadium down maintenance costs is an “important” factor in Wycombe Wanderers moving to a new ground, owner Steve Hayes has said.

Mr Hayes, also owner of London Wasps, knocked backed suggestions that the Premiership Rugby side would be the main beneficiaries of a move, saying he is “a football fan first and foremost”.

In a television interview, he also suggested retaining Frank Adams' name may be considered in any new ground, as he acknowledged the value of the Blues' heritage.

Speaking to BBC One's Late Kick Off show last night he was asked: Can there be any assurances Wanderers would keep the receipts from the sale of the current stadium and training ground?

He replied: “The thing is, you can't raise money on a stadium.

"Even though it's an asset, which it is, you can't borrow money against it, the point is what you really don't want is the maintenance costs.

“There's clubs up and down the country now that spend over £250,000 a year on their maintenance costs.

“This is a fantastic newish stadium but when you have problems with it, it costs a lot of money and that's the important thing.”

Asked of fans' concerns that the switch to Wycombe Air Park, Booker, Great Marlow, would suit Wasps better than Wanderers, he said: “Those people don't know me, I'm a football fan first and foremost.

"I've always laid my cards on the table, where I am and I enjoy football.”

He was also asked if there was any chance the Adams name could live on at the new stadium or be even be called the 'new Adams stadium'.

Mr Hayes said: “Everything we will talk about and discuss.

"It's important, the heritage, if you don't recognise your past then you have no present and you certainly have no future.”

He added the scheme was about the “whole town” not just the clubs.

Gary Heath, Vice President of Wycombe Wanderers Trust, also featured on the show.

He said: “We are being told this is going to be a good thing for Wycombe, show us the numbers, if they don't stack up, don't embarrass us by asking us to move.

“We are being asked to move to a stadium which we don't really need in terms of capacity.

"We are potentially going to take Frank Adams legacy and spend it on fitting out a club for a rugby club.”

One young fan said the Wanderers “shouldn't be moving” while another said it was important to retain the historical links.

Watch the show via the link below.

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