The
club has been working since the end of last season to finance and arrange a
series of works which will improve the match day experience at the ground
further.
Work
is almost complete on a completely new playing surface, including a sprinkler
system and specialist drainage, which is football league standard.
This
will be accompanied by a new metal perimeter fence, replacing the previous
wooden structure around the pitch, which was demolished ahead of the new
pitch’s installation.
A
new turnstile will be installed on the Tees Crescent entrance to match the
newest ones on Wood Vue.
An
upgraded PA system and CCTV system will also be installed ready for the start
of the season.
Terracing
work is set to begin behind the south goal, all the way along to the
dugouts. This will replace the current
terracing, which is more than 100 years old, and will be completed by
mid-August.
A
covered stand has been designed by architects and structural engineers, which
will be installed behind the south goal when the terracing is completed.
Planning
permission has now been granted for this and it is expected to be complete in
September.
In
order to maintain the new pitch to the highest standards, brand new equipment
is being purchased and will be housed in a new equipment container in the North
corner of the ground.
A
temporary match day clubhouse will be installed on the site of the ground’s
former clubhouse with a capacity of 130 people. It will be run by the club and
be opened mid-August.
The
club has also made strides to alleviate parking issues on a match day by
striking a two-year deal with Durham County Council to utilise the old Durham
Road school site for match day parking.
The
parking will be run by older Spennymoor Town youth academy players and the
entirety of the small parking fee will be re-invested into the academy for the
purchase of new equipment.
Managing
Director Tony Wilson said: “This is the culmination of a significant amount of
work for the Chief Executive, myself and the management team at Spennymoor
Town. I’m absolutely delighted to
finally be able to confirm these improvements and the timescale for their
delivery.
“We
have worked closely with Durham County Council and the Football Federation to
make this possible and I would like to thank everyone for their support as we
aim to improve our whole match day experience further.
“We’ve
put an emphasis on affordable football for all with our heavily-discounted
season tickets this year and we want to make sure that everyone who has taken
the decision to purchase one has a superb day out at every game.
“I’m
pleased to announce that we have smashed the club’s record for season ticket
sales. We have sold 530 with a further
280 given out to our academy players. This marks a huge step forward for us and
it’s our job to make sure these season ticket holders enjoy this year and want
to stay.
“We’re
confident these developments will achieve that and help the club take the next
step in our plan”.
Jack
Franks |