Staffordshire students score a new £800k pitch

A new £800,000 artificial sports pitch that will be used by thousands of people across Staffordshire has officially opened.

Walsall FC manager Dean Smith was on hand to do the honours and open Cannock's first full-size artificial grass pitch. The football and hockey pitch has been unveiled at Cardinal Griffin Roman Catholic High School, in Cardinal Way.

And after the Saddlers gaffer did the honours, a host of former footballers were pulling on their boots again for a charity match.

Former Nottingham Forest player Des Lyttle, Wolves midfielder Andy Thompson and former Spurs man Andy Taylor were among the players. The new pitch has been created following a joint project between the school and Cannock Chase Council and has been funded by the Football Foundation. It will be open for community use on evenings and weekends. Other schools will be able to use the pitch during the day.

It has been named the Liam Keeling Arena in memory of the 13-year-old year-eight pupil who died in 2009 from meningococcal meningitis. The youngster was a promising midfielder for Wyrley Juniors, a feeder club to Walsall FC.