MARGATE FC vice-chairman Keith Piper is due to put a new business plan to Thanet Council today for the £5m redevelopment of their Hartsdown Park stadium.

Mr Piper chaired a meeting at the Hoverspeed Stadium on Saturday afternoon during which he told a large audience of the club's supporters and players he had found two new investors.

Thanet Council withdrew their backing for the project last month because the full funding for the work was not in place.

But they will reconsider the scheme if the money can be found and they are assured about the long-term viability of the project.

If Margate can get approval from the council they will start building an initial two-sided stadium within six to eight weeks to meet the Nationwide Conference's minimum requirements.

They must prove the ground is workable and have a safety certificate by the league's deadline of May 31.

The plan is to then build the whole of the stadium by late in the summer.

* Margate could be admitted to the new Conference Two South even if they fail to meet the league's ground grading criteria.

The club has until May 31 to build a fully-functional two-sided stadium to remain in the Conference's top division.

But league chairman John Moules has revealed Margate could drop into the new feeder division if they do not get the work done in time.

Clubs in the new division will be given three years to meet the grading requirements for that level of football.

* Gate vice-chairman Keith Piper has assured supporters the club will certainly complete their Nationwide Conference fixtures for the rest of this season.