Holbeach United's £750k 3G pitch hailed as an asset for the community

Holbeach United’s new £750,000 3G pitch will be ‘tremendously beneficial’ to the club - and the wider community.

That is the view of youth section chairman Rob Bell, who has overseen the project.

The pitch was recently officially opened by South Holland district councillors Harry Drury and Graham Rudkin, watched by Mr Bell, club trustee Stuart Clark and David and Hazel Burgess, chairman and secretary of the Peterborough Junior Alliance League.

“It is tremendously beneficial. All the kids, when they were training were scattered all over, now we’re at our own home,” said Mr Bell.

“A lot of games in the winter get cancelled due to water around and we have to reschedule. Now we can make sure all the games are played.

“But it’s beneficial for other teams who use it, such as Whaplode Drove. The Holbeach first team use it and the Reserves.

“We’ve got disability football starting soon and there’s various other clubs and community groups that use the pitches.”

The Tigers’ youth set-up currently has around 370 local children representing 24 teams, a number which was expanded this summer.

Mr Bell said the kids ‘absolutely love’ the new facility, which he hopes can aid their pathway to senior teams.

“This year we have one 16-year-old with the first team, eight 16-year-olds that have played for the reserve team and some who have played for the sports team.

“Because we’re all training at the same place the links are stronger than ever before.

“And we’ve got plans next year to strengthen those plans even further.

“The teams can train when they want and, with the floodlights, older teams can train later - it’s good for the club and community.”

Also making the most of the facilities will be members of the Holbeach Football Education Academy who train and play on the pitch as they work towards a BTEC level three qualification.

It has taken four years for the dream to be made reality, beginning with a meeting in Lincoln led by former youth team chairman Andy Ferguson.

While the club had to fund a percentage of the pitch themselves, support has come from a Football Foundation grant along with backers including Ashwood Homes.

The firm’s chairman Ashley King has strong links to the club, having helped originally to set up the Tigers’ Academy.