As a case study, I went to see a match at the brand new Bedfordshire County FA 3G facility in Cranfield which was opened last month.
Neatly tucked away at the end of a new housing estate, the ‘Cranfield Pavilion’ has an extensive car park with 67 spaces. This stretches alongside the full-size artificial floodlit pitch which has a designated spectator area down one side.
The pavilion building itself houses two football changing rooms, male and female officials’ changing rooms, an education classroom space, plus an office, kitchen, and toilets.
A unique feature is that a footbridge was incorporated at the design stage and provides a direct link to the nearby Crawley Road home ground of Cranfield United FC, who play in the Bedfordshire County League. The club holds a bar license and they can now increase their revenue as a result of extra footfall from those using the new Pavilion arena.
After I watched an entertaining Tactic League scholarship fixture involving the Pro Direct Academy Luton team, I asked Bedfordshire FA chief executive officer Alan Young how the Cranfield set-up had come about and why it was necessary.
He told me: “We have our main headquarters based in Dunstable. But the desire to serve our clubs in the north of Bedfordshire was something that could be achieved with this opportunity at Cranfield.
Esta historia es de la edición June 06, 2021 de The Non-League Football Paper.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición June 06, 2021 de The Non-League Football Paper.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
ENSIGN TEEN IS TAYLOR MADE!
WHITE Ensign boss Aaron Bloxham has hailed teenage talent Taylor Jacobi after his stoppage-time winner created history.
RAMADAN A RHYTHM IS BACK IN AT BLUES!
CEMAL RAMADAN reckons Bury Town have got back into their rhythm- but knows the Isthmian North title race is going to be a long haul.
DECRUZ IS SINGING THE BLUES FOR DREAM TIE
MERSTHAM manager Jamie Decruz says it would be \"crazy\" not to stage his side's glamour FA Youth Cup tie with Chelsea anywhere other than Stamford Bridge.
GLASSBOYS'JORDAAN IS A SCROOGE FOR BUCKS!
STOURBRIDGE snatched a dramatic stoppage time equaliser to seal a share of the points following a pulsating contest with promotion rivals Telford.
CLINICAL CALLUM HITS THE BULLSEYE
DARTFORD their D place in the play-off places as a 79th-minute goal from Callum Jones gave Adrian Pennock's side all three points.
ARDLEY'S OFF TO A WINNER!
NEAL Ardley got off to a winning start as Woking boss with victory over play-off chasing Altrincham and then admitted the Robins have set the mantra he would like the Cards to follow.
MADINE'S A MARVEL AT POOLS
GARY Madine's third goal in a Hartlepool United shirt fired his team to within two points of the National League play-offs after a dramatic victory over Yeovil Town.
BEES RATTLED BY TOP TOWN
BARNET slipped behind York City at the top of the National League after they were held to a draw by FC Halifax Town - a result thoroughly deserved by the Shaymen who battled for the whole game and gave the Bees barely a sight of goal.
Rovers denied by resilient Shots
DISAPPOINTED Steve Cotterill believes that his side had enough chances to beat Aldershot Town after dropping two points in their title quest.
KEEPER JOS REVELS AS GOAL HERO
IF you think goalkeepers never score, you must be Bark-ing mad.