Stafford Town pitches for £650k revamp

Bosses want to invest the money at Evans Park, Riverway to attract new players and ensure the club continues to grow in the future.

If the plans are given the go ahead, work would start at the end of the 2015/16 season, with the new pitch in place for the start of the 2016/17 season.

Chairman of the youth section, Aran Hickey, today said: "We are looking to the future with these plans. Essentially it will help us to grow and develop the club.

"We'd love the facility to be in use 52 weeks in the year. With a 3G pitch that is possible.

"We want to involve the community a lot more at the club and with all the Army personnel coming over to Stafford soon, it will be a facility they can use. I've been closely involved with these plans for a number of months."

The plans include replacing the main grass pitch with a 3G, artificial playing surface and making improvements to the car park and access into the ground.

Club officials have approached Stafford Borough Council for permission for the ambitious project as the council owns the land and it is leased to the club.

Stafford Town's senior men's team play in the Midland League Division One but there are 25 teams in total including senior, junior ladies and disability teams.

The plans are being discussed by Stafford Borough Council's cabinet on Tuesday (6).

Mr Hickey added: "There are still a lot of hurdles to pass. We are hoping to get feedback from the council March or April time. I'm getting a really good feeling about it though."

Bosses at Stafford Town say they will apply for outside funding help from the likes of the Football Foundation which is the largest sports charity in the UK funded by the Premier League.

A similar 3G pitch has been installed at Rowley Park in Averill Road, Stafford but Mr Hickey said that was the only other 3G pitch in the town.

Stafford Town was founded in 1976 and Evans Park officially opened in April 2010.