Training ground boost for Shrewsbury Town
Shrewsbury Town shareholders have voted to transfer the training ground to the club - paving the way for the development of the facility at Sundorne Castle.
The land, which has been owned by chairman Roland Wycherley for almost 20 years, was independently valued by Halls Holdings.
It has been passed on to Town in return for shares to ensure no cash leaves the club. The club announced the vote was taken at the annual general meeting.
Chief executive Brian Caldwell said: "It's great news for the club that the shareholders have agreed the manager and players need better training facilities.
"It's also important the players train in Shrewsbury to keep the club's identity with the town rather than elsewhere.
"With the club taking ownership we can now start to plan investment in the land and bring the site up to the standards needed to allow training throughout the season."
The news will be welcomed by manager Micky Mellon who said, last October in the wake of the sales of star players Connor Goldson and Ryan Woods, that an integral training ground was vital for the future of the club.
Up until now, the first-team squad train on a pitch at the side of Greenhous Meadow and, when that becomes too wet, they rent pitches at Lilleshall National Sports Centre, or use Sundorne.
There are two and three-quarter full-size football pitches at Sundorne which will be brought up to standard, plus a building which will be renovated to be used as dressing rooms and physio facilities.
Allscott-based contractors Amenity Land Solutions transformed the Greenhous Meadow pitch into one of the best surfaces in the country last summer
And they have been tasked with looking into the work that needs to be done on the pitches at Sundorne.
Caldwell said: "Dave Saltman and his team at ALS have turned the Greenhous Meadow pitch into one of the best in the country and I'm sure they'll be able to bring the training ground up to a similar standard.
"I've had a very similar experience in creating training facilities when I was with St Mirren and look forward to seeing this though as well.
"Having our own training ground where the manager and players will be based at on a daily basis means would also allow us potential.
"We could consider improvement of the community facilities at the Greenhous Meadow in partnership, with Shrewsbury Town in the Community."
