Shifnal Town FC plans major ground revamp
Shifnal Town FC has announced plans to spend a seven-figure sum upgrading its ground.
The club is planning for a major investment at their Ground Phoenix Park.
It comes after a decision to relocate the clubhouse from its present site in Newport Road to Phoenix Park.
A consortium of local businessmen have pledged to invest funds which when matched by the Football Foundation will reach seven figures.
The club is working towards being a Community club, with a men’s 1st team playing in the West Midlands Premier League, a ladies' and boys' youth sides playing competitive games, Boys and girls also train at Phoenix Park.
Peter Bradley, chairman of the club, said that the demand to use the new pitch was already great.
He said: "With the recent growth in Shifnal’s population the need for a quality football facility is apparent.
"Unfortunately the facilities at the ground and dressing rooms are at the end of their life.
"The Football Foundation has been approached and they will match the funds that we achieve. This would enable us to get quality dressing rooms and clubhouse on the ground, providing the latest all weather pitch is a real possibility which will provide a steady income.
"The clubhouse will also serve Shifnal FC members who enjoy their leisure activities at the current clubhouse site in Newport Road.
"This wonderful news ensures the future of Shifnal Town FC and will give the town a facility to be proud of."
Shifnal town mayor Robert Harrop said that the investment was "brilliant news" for the town.
"We know that they're a very good club, they perform well in their division, and now we will have the security going forward," he said. "That's the important thing from the town's point of view, and it also gives us yet another first class sporting facility.
"It will give junior footballers something to aspire to.
"Knowing how under-resourced the club are, to know they're secure and looking forward rather than over their shoulder is great news for everybody in the town."
The good news comes just months after an eight week road closure caused visitors to the club to drop.
The long redirection around Coppice Green Lane, which had a complete closure earlier this year, had a knock-on impact on the number of visitors to the clubhouse.
The council said the work was to locally widen the road to enable two large vehicles to pass one another without having to ride up on the footway.
