Bishop Auckland Football Club will officially open their newly renovated pitch on Saturday 25th February.
The pitch, which has been described as being of “Football League standard”, has been reconstructed thanks to a £52,000 grant from the Premier League, through the Football Stadia Improvement Fund (FSIF), the largest funders of non-league football in the country.
The balance of the funding used to complete the £100,000 project came from the bequest of Colin Rowell, a loyal supporter who died in January 2016 and left the club over £340,000 to be used for ground improvements.
The new facility comprises new primary and secondary drainage and an irrigation system installed under the surface which, in dry conditions, allows the pitch to be watered right up to the start of the game.
The pitch is primarily used by Bishop Auckland FC in the Northern League and is also used by the club’s Ladies team and, for the first time this year, the club will be able to allow Bishop Auckland St Mary’s Under 18’s and other community groups to play some games there.
This season Middlesbrough Football Club’s Under 18 team have also used the surface for some of their FA Youth Cup games.
Nick Postma, Chairman of Bishop Auckland Football Club said: “The grant from the Football Stadia Improvement Scheme and the Colin Rowell bequest have been so gratefully received by the club to help us resolve our issues with the pitch, which was frequently waterlogged.
We now have a pitch which allows teams to play good football on a perfect surface, which will help us in our ambition to play at the highest level possible”.
Bishop Auckland's local community newspaper.
