New 3G Pitch Opens at Coalville Town FC

Coalville Town Youth FC opens a new 3G pitch with Football Foundation investment, enhancing community football facilities.

Coalville Town Youth FC have opened a new state-of-the-art 3G pitch thanks to Football Foundation investment.

Situated at the club’s ground at Owen Street, the site has been renovated and now features a new full-size 3G pitch, which will enhance the playing experience for all players in the local community.

The new 3G facility, which has been delivered thanks to a £850k grant from the Premier League, The FA and the Government’s Football Foundation, will provide a vital playing facility that can be used all year round. The pitch will also provide flexibility for several youth and adult teams to play affiliated matches on.

Coalville Town is a three star England Football accredited club playing in multiple formats and providing opportunities for all. The club has over 900 players, with over 70 teams offering opportunities across male, female, and disability player pathways for all ages. With this new development, the club is now looking to expand further by developing a Walking Football provision, whilst also in the process of launching a new education programme from the site.

Wayne McDermott, Secretary of Coalville Town Youth FC said: “It’s taken a long while and a lot of work to get to this stage, but now we have a facility for our local community and can make Coalville Town a real football hub 7 days a week all year round.

"We would like to thank the Football Foundation, Leicestershire and Rutland County FA, for their help over the years and getting us onto the FA Club Programme, where we were supported by an FA Club Consultant, which has been a huge help in making us develop off the pitch. Also key to getting the total funding in place were our members, Bardon Hill Quarry and NWLDC, who all contributed to making this happen.

"We are now able to continue the growth of football in the area and remove the young players frustration of the wet winters calling off numerous games on a Sunday morning after pitch inspections, which we’ve experienced the past few seasons. It also helps us create new opportunities for our players, with additional academy level training providers offering more for the girls and boys at the club. Improving links to other sports with Coalville Rugby Club becoming a partner.

"The additional opportunity now of being able to open the facility in the day and look beyond football to make the ground a community hope and diversify from just football will help us to become more sustainable for the future.”

Shaun Waite, Head of Football Development and Facilities of the Leicestershire and Rutland County FA, said: “We congratulate Coalville Town Youth on its successful application to the Football Foundation to develop a new 3G pitch for the club and the local football community.

“This site was one of many strategic priority sites outlined within the Local Football Facility Plan for North West Leicestershire, so we are delighted to see it delivered and benefit the local football community.”

Robert Sullivan, Chief Executive of the Football Foundation, said: “The Football Foundation is working closely with our partners – the Premier League, the FA and the Government – to transform the quality of grassroots facilities in England by delivering projects like this across the country.

“ Good quality playing facilities have a transformative impact on physical and mental health and play an important role in bringing people together and strengthening local communities.

“We’re delighted that the local community in Coalville will now be able to enjoy all these benefits thanks to the new facilities at Owen Street.”