HUNDREDS of people have signed a petition that they hope will help save the Ray Mac.

Fans and people connected with Salisbury FC have pledged their support to the campaign – Save Our Stadium – which they hope will spark the revival of football in the city.

So far, nearly 1,500 signatures have been made since the petition launched on social media by supporters Thom Belk and Chris Maple.

The Save Our Stadium page on Facebook already has 1,201 likes and its Twitter account, @SaveOurStadium, has nearly 100 followers, with the slogan being #SOSalisbury.

Scores of people have spoke on why they have backed the petition.

Among those are fans, coaches, ex-managers and players and residents of Salisbury who haven’t seen football played at the Ray Mac for ten months. Even similarly broken-hearted Hereford United fans have demonstrated their empathy to the club by signing it.

And the wait will go on unless the new consortium is granted a new lease at their historic home in Old Sarum after being locked out.

Last season’s manager Mikey Harris, now in charge of Portsmouth Under-18s, who this time last year was preparing to take on Grimsby in the Conference Premier, says he’s on board for the “dedicated supporters".

Former goalkeeper Mark Scott and tough-tackling defender James Clarke signed the petition.

Scott said: “I used to play for Salisbury and the fans were always great and a positive bunch. It's one of the friendliest clubs I played for and loved turning up for training.”

Clarke explained: “I'm signing the petition because I feel what has happened to Salisbury City was unfair.”

Long-standing fan Ian Booth believes “that the stadium was given to Salisbury, not to Salisbury City FC, so there seems no reason why the new team should not be allowed to use it".

He added: “The facility is there for use - and should not be lost, as many others have elsewhere.”

The new consortium, comprising TV pundit and ex-professional Steve Claridge, Ian Ridley, David Phillips, Jeremy Harwood and Graeme Mundy, bought the assets of the old club - Salisbury City – at the end of last year.

They spoke at a fans’ forum last week, with commercial manager Mandy Woolford, where they made a plea to supporters to help get the phoenix club on its feet ahead of the new season, which starts in August.

Other people of Salisbury, joining the campaign and backing the new board, include Paul Mortimer.

He said: “I'm signing because I have supported Salisbury since 1986 when my dad used to take me. It would be a travesty if the stadium wasn't giving for the use of the new SalisburyFC. This city needs the club to continue to bring people into the city and get it back to a thriving hub once again.”

Chris Berezai said: “I've followed the Whites for years, first at Victoria Park and at the Ray Mac - I was there on the opening night! The city needs a club like this, please give them the facilities they need.”

Supporters are congregating outside Salisbury Guildhall tomorrow morning from 9.30am to collect more signatures.

To register your support, visit https://www.change.org/p/wiltshire-council-and-the-trustees-of-the-raymond-mcenhill-trust-save-our-stadium.