Shropshire Star

AFC Telford are very keen to pitch in

AFC Telford United plan to start renovation work on the New Bucks Head pitch as a 'top priority'.

Published
General View of the New Bucks Head

The Bucks, whose National League North campaign has been brought to an end, plan a complete overhaul of the pitch's collapsed drainage system, which have not been updated since the stadium was built at the beginning of the millennium.

Chairman Andy Pryce said Telford remain in the process of securing a grant from the Football Foundation's Football Stadia Improvement Fund to help pay for the essential work, which the club will also part-fund.

Contractors selected to carry out a service are currently out of work due to the coronavirus pandemic and pitch work will need to be compliant with government advice.

"It's one of the things we've been working hard to to try to organise," Pryce said on the planned pitch upgrade.

I know the contractors that we'd had plans with are not working at the moment, but we are planning on getting that work started now ASAP ready for the pre-season.

"We're still in the process with the Football Foundation on a grant, it hasn't been confirmed.

"We will do some work to the pitch whether we get the grant or not but if we get the grant we'll be able to do a little bit more.

"We'll have to add money to it, it's an expense we didn't really envisage over the last 12 months but if we haven't got a good football pitch then we can't play football.

"It's a top priority that we get that pitch sorted and done to a good standard as well."

The New Bucks Head has struggled to cope with standing water in recent months with heavy rainfall inflicting a number of costly postponements for Gavin Cowan's men.

Groundstaff team Mick and George Conway have received credit for their hard work to ensure the pitch remains in the best condition possible but the club have made the move to secure a functioning surface for the long-term future.