Frederick Gough School nets £281k for all-weather sports pitch in Bottesford

LOCAL footballers are celebrating after a school scored £281,000 for a new all-weather community football pitch.

Frederick Gough School in Bottesford has bagged the grant from sporting charity the Football Foundation to build a full-size 3G artificial grass pitch.

The facility will be used by school pupils as well as partner clubs Bottesford Town FC, Messingham FC and Scunthorpe Ladies, plus the wider community.

Tony Reeve, chairman of Bottesford Town FC, said it would be a welcome facility for the club.

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Some of the junior teams currently train at Melior Community College and without the all-weather facility, he said the club would have struggled to train this season.

"This will enable us to train all year round in all weathers," he said.

"We have supported Frederick Gough so they could get funding from the Football Foundation and we are really proud to have been a partner.

"This will mean that we will be able to train and play all our matches in Bottesford."

Simon Stiles, deputy head teacher, said the pitch would help the school build on its sporting tradition and success.

Mr Stiles said: "It is fantastic news that the Football Foundation has committed to this facility at Frederick Gough School.

"It will give our pupils an excellent football pitch, allowing our school teams to continue to build on their success and reputation. It will also be a valuable asset to the wider community to pursue leisure facilities on a state-of-the-art playing surface."

The school has spent £50,000 on archeological work ahead of the installation, which will take 12 weeks in total. The work is expected to get under way in the next few weeks, with a proposed opening date in May.

It is hoped the new pitch will be opened with a charity five-a-side football competition to help raise money for the Prostate Cancer UK charity.

Rob King, of the Lincolnshire Football Association, said: "The investment will provide excellent training and match facilities for the school and partner FA charter standard clubs."

Since its launch in 2000, the Football Foundation has awarded around 8,000 grants worth more than £420m towards improving grass-roots sport.