PLYMPTON ACADEMY

McArdle Sport Tec and partners TigerTurf install Community 3G Football pitch.

A new 4108m2 3G football pitch installation and Multi Use Games Area otherwise known as a MUGA; was officially opened on the 28th April 2018 by former Plymouth Argyle player, Ian Stonebridge.

Plympton Academy, Ridgeway School and the local community are enjoying these new facilities, which have only been made possible due to £397,013 awarded from the Football Foundation through the Premier League and FA Facilities Fund. The Academy and local community raised an additional £10,250 in 28 days through a crowd funding campaign to support the replacement of their existing natural turf pitch.

The academy’s grass pitch proved to be consistently unreliable, resulting in many training sessions and games being cancelled due to hazardous playing conditions. The new facilities also benefit from LED floodlighting, which will allow for longer and flexible playing hours, encouraging new members and teams all year round.

Partners TigerTurf were awarded the contract after a scrutinising tender process through Robinson Low Francis. Working in partnership with TigerTurf, McArdle Sport Tec started initial groundworks in November 2017 and completed the project 9 weeks later, laying TigerTurf’s Atomic Pro 60 artificial grass and achieving FIFA 1 Star status.

Football Foundation & the Premier League and FA Facilities Fund:

“The Football Foundation is the UK’s largest sports’ charity. Funded by the Premier League, The Football Association and the Government, the Foundation directs £30m every year into grassroots sport.

The Premier League & The FA Facilities Fund provides grants for building or refurbishing grassroots facilities, such as changing pavilions and playing surfaces for community benefit, with money provided by the Premier League, The FA and the Government (via Sport England) and delivered by the Foundation.”

www.footballfoundation.org.uk

Official figures up to April 2018 show that the Football Foundation have completed 134 projects, with partners TigerTurf and McArdle Sport Tec building the majority of the 40 Football Foundation 3G pitches so far.

“Plympton has needed a 3G facility for a great number of years. We are currently sending teams across the city for training facilities and have numerous match games postponed owing to the weather. This facility will allow the club to train at the same location and provides a fantastic sporting venue for the local community.”