Sports club gets £1.3 million for 3G pitch

2 hours ago 1

A sports club in has been awarded more than £1m to install a 3G artificial pitch.

The money for Atherstone Sports Club came from the Premier League, Football Association and the government's Football Foundation, as well as £327,000 from North Warwickshire Borough Council.

It will allow one of the grass pitches at the club to be replaced with an all-weather surface.

The project became possible after the club signed a 30-year lease on land owned by the borough council.

Sarah Carmody, secretary of the club, said one of the reasons for applying for the funding was the lack of all-weather pitches in the area.

She said winter training on grass could be difficult, and this would make things easier.

"All sections will benefit from having the AGP (artificial grass pitch) here, and it's good for the community as a whole."

The picture shows the current grass pitch at Atherstone Sports Club, which is due to be replaced with a 3G artificial pitch. The current pitch also has rugby goal posts erected

Steve Matthews, chair of Atherstone Rangers Junior Football Club, added the 3G pitch would help them keep kids involved in the sport when the weather turned too wet for grass.

"Starting (football) in September, October, November and then it stops for three months because of the weather. This will enable us to carry on and play through the winter."

Work installing the 3G artificial pitch should begin at the end of January and be finished by the end of 2026.

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