What's the latest on the redevelopment of the Training Ground?

Henry Irving said:

Covered End said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MFKarirMbs&t=633s

They seem to have forgotten to tell us about the building work that is meant to have started on the the Trust buildings. Very brief mention of new offices/ buildings at the end but no timescales again.

Smoke and mirrors.

After last weeks warm spell the B and Q on Foostscray Road has sold out of gazebos.

Rob7Lee said:

I was at the training ground last night, there's certainly a lot going on with lots of holes and pipework, lots of grass dug up and sand everywhere.

My limited understanding is 2x 3G training pitches are going in, one of which is for the rugby club and a new drainage system.

I don't think it includes any new buildings yet, it's all pitch related.

It is pitch related, plus the new access road, cabling and irrigation work, they have to do this first before the new building can start, as that will go where the U18 pitch and small astro currently sits

WSS said:

Is there a protest coming up? Why else would we get a training ground update?

Lack of incoming transfers

_MrDick said:

Karim_myBagheri said:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUoGjLBqoD0

some great shots of tractors and small mounds of soil.

I wonder what Footscray rugby club are putting in for the development? seems unfair that Roland has to stump up all the cash.

Well, that's a first ... they claim they're going to keep the fans updated according to the text on that video

Mmmmmm........trenches being dug for cables and gas pipework to be connected to......what exactly?
Just for the record.......we have a track record of not connecting pipework!

Is that the best progress report they can give us?

Still sorting out the drainage 10 months after they first mentioned it was being worked on and yet the only thing that appears complete is the irrigation lake - which is nothing more than a hole in the ground with plastic lining an inlet and outlet pipe.

To say progress is slow is an understatement. Remind me, which expert is Project Managing it?

Paul Geary is a great guy & as you can hear on the video , is very knowledgeable about his area of expertise.

He and young Rob Box always made us welcome at the Training Ground when we worked on the Memorial Garden.

For their sake, I hope that they will see the completion of the new facilities there before they retire.....

Onlyme said:

Looks great but have we got a competitive squad yet? It would but good if the Club could give us an update of that !!

That's right, we could eventually have the best training facilities in non-league football.

ShootersHillGuru said:

Phase II ? When can we expect Phase V to be completed ? I want to know if I'll still be alive at that point.

Touch and go I'd say.

I know that at grassroots level the Premier League pay 50% of the costs for training ground development - is this also the case with us / football league clubs?

paulbaconsarnie said:

The Red Robin said:

I know that at grassroots level the Premier League pay 50% of the costs for training ground development - is this also the case with us / football league clubs?

Eh?
How 'grassroots' does a club have to be to get this 50%?
Genuinely interested as a local football club is currently expanding their training facilities and the cost of this is putting the club under serious financial pressure.

Edited to add that they might have already taken advantage of the grant. I'm not really sure.

I believe it's this http://www.footballfoundation.org.uk/funding-schemes/premier-league-the-fa-facilities-fund/

You have to apply but the club I coach with managed to secure funding. We've just started work and it'll be ready by October. Puts Katrien's gang to shame.

Now, I'm normally one of the first people to criticise the club about signings etc, but having watched the update video I do have to admit to being surprised at the amount of work that is being done & the money that is being spent on the project. Obviously we would like more to be spent on improving the team, but fairs fair, at least something is being done to upgrade the pitches & putting in new drainage & water irrigation. Looks very impressive & I doubt any other League 1, or Championship teams for that matter, have the number & quality of training pitches.

I know times have moved on (a lot) but think back to the 70's & 80's and how & where players trained - most were just on a strip of land behind the stadium or car park......on even on the actual pitch & the reason why they were mud baths from December onwards (the scenes from The Damned United shows both)

In this instance I think we should at least congratulate the club on doing something right.

golfaddick said:

Now, I'm normally one of the first people to criticise the club about signings etc, but having watched the update video I do have to admit to being surprised at the amount of work that is being done & the money that is being spent on the project. Obviously we would like more to be spent on improving the team, but fairs fair, at least something is being done to upgrade the pitches & putting in new drainage & water irrigation. Looks very impressive & I doubt any other League 1, or Championship teams for that matter, have the number & quality of training pitches.

I know times have moved on (a lot) but think back to the 70's & 80's and how & where players trained - most were just on a strip of land behind the stadium or car park......on even on the actual pitch & the reason why they were mud baths from December onwards (the scenes from The Damned United shows both)

In this instance I think we should at least congratulate the club on doing something right.

they have dug a hole, about two years late, yeah well done.

Swisdom said:

LargeAddick said:

golfaddick said:

Now, I'm normally one of the first people to criticise the club about signings etc, but having watched the update video I do have to admit to being surprised at the amount of work that is being done & the money that is being spent on the project. Obviously we would like more to be spent on improving the team, but fairs fair, at least something is being done to upgrade the pitches & putting in new drainage & water irrigation. Looks very impressive & I doubt any other League 1, or Championship teams for that matter, have the number & quality of training pitches.

I know times have moved on (a lot) but think back to the 70's & 80's and how & where players trained - most were just on a strip of land behind the stadium or car park......on even on the actual pitch & the reason why they were mud baths from December onwards (the scenes from The Damned United shows both)

In this instance I think we should at least congratulate the club on doing something right.

they have dug a hole, about two years late, yeah well done.

Yep. That's all they've done. Dug a hole. There's a bit more to it than that

This hole is it round or is it square?

golfaddick said:

Now, I'm normally one of the first people to criticise the club about signings etc, but having watched the update video I do have to admit to being surprised at the amount of work that is being done & the money that is being spent on the project. Obviously we would like more to be spent on improving the team, but fairs fair, at least something is being done to upgrade the pitches & putting in new drainage & water irrigation. Looks very impressive & I doubt any other League 1, or Championship teams for that matter, have the number & quality of training pitches.

I know times have moved on (a lot) but think back to the 70's & 80's and how & where players trained - most were just on a strip of land behind the stadium or car park......on even on the actual pitch & the reason why they were mud baths from December onwards (the scenes from The Damned United shows both)

In this instance I think we should at least congratulate the club on doing something right.

I would imagine the number and quality of training pitches is a condition towards having a cat 1 academy which;
Villa
Derby
Fulham
Boro
Norwich
Reading
Sunderland
And wolves all have.

No third tier team has one as far as I know.
Edit, apart from Blackburn.

BTW has someone kidnapped the real Golfie?