Shropshire Star

Ludlow nets a winner with football hub

Shrewsbury Town in the Community and the Shropshire FA have officially unveiled a new state-of-the-art football hub at Ludlow Stadium.

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A £70,335 grant from the Premier League and The FA Facilities Fund, which is delivered by the Football Foundation, enabled STiTC, the official charity of Shrewsbury Town, to undertake the major refurbishment project.

The stadium, which was previously under-used and neglected, comprises a large clubhouse, a third generation artificial grass pitch and a floodlit natural grass pitch. Essential improvements have been made to the clubhouse to ensure it remains functional, whilst the 3G, AGP and grass pitch have undergone surface improvement works.

The project has secured the future of the site, with the help of the Shropshire FA, which will be STiTC’s South Shropshire hub.

Dave Ralphs, chairman of the Ludlow Stadium Football Partnership, said: “We plan to support the development of junior and senior football in the area and help create a community hub and focus for all of the football clubs involved in the partnership.

“We owe a great debt to the new landowner, the Shropshire FA, Shrewsbury Town In the Community, Dave McDermott of the Football Foundation, Ludlow Town Council, local clubs and of course the Premier League and The FA Facilities Fund, for ensuring the project came to fruition.”

The hub will house a permanent football development officer who will help to deliver the five-year football development plan – a vision of how sport will be played on site, with an emphasis on increasing participation.

STiTC will be a major user of the site, along with their three partner clubs – Ludlow FC, Ludlow Town Juniors and Ludlow Ladies FC. It is expected that 28 new teams will be established across the partner clubs, and STiTC will introduce disability football sessions with the objective of creating a team to compete in the Ability Counts League.

A girls’ football coaching centre for under-10 and upwards is planned, which will boost female football participation. FA Skills sessions will also be held for local schools and during holiday time.

Paul Thorogood, chief executive of the Football Foundation, said: “I am delighted that a grant from the Premier League & The FA Facilities Fund has enabled Shrewsbury Town in the Community to upgrade Ludlow Stadium and create a community sports hub. This development will provide a real boost to sport in the local area.”