Work amounting to over £400,000 is underway at Herns
Lane to give our home ground the biggest facelift it has seen in the 48
years that WGC FC have played there.
Thanks to £100,000 from the Premier League funded
Football Stadia Improvement Fund, WGC will install two new stands on the
ground, not only to meet the Ground Grading F standard needed for them
to continue competing in the Spartan South Midlands Premier, where they
were fourth last season, but also to meet the E grading they will need
if promotion is won.
One new stand will accommodate 120 standing spectators
and the second will have 163 seats. Both enclosures will have wheelchair
access.
The club are also making major improvements to their
clubhouse and changing room facilities, with a new changing block
including improved showers, toilet facilities, enlarged dressing rooms
and a new physio room.
The Herns Lane clubhouse is also being extended to
include an improved kitchen area and bar and possibly a new committee
room. A loan from the club's brewers Charles Wells of Bedford, is
assisting with these improvements.
Finally, Welwyn Hatfield Council is funding a new
community use 3G pitch at Herns Lane. WGC FC teams will have priority
use, but the new facility, costing around £200,000, will also be for
community use, with priority given to youth, disabled and women's
football.
Work begins on the construction of the project very shortly and it is hoped to have it opened in time for the new season.
Among those most excited by these ambitious plans is
manager Adam Fisher. He says: "I'm absolutely thrilled with the funding
we have received, particularly for the development of the ground.
"This has been something in the making for over a year
and just proves where we are now as a club. We very much needed new
player and supporter facilities. Once completed, our ground will meet
Step 4 grading and will give us the belief that we can hopefully take
the club up to that standard for the first time in its history.
"Knowing what was planned at the club played a large
part in helping us retain our players from last season and attracting
some excellent new additions. We also hope to add a few more shortly.''
"We are also extremely lucky to be having a 3G training
pitch built at our ground. This will be a great surface to train on at
least once a week and should make a huge difference to us.''
"I would also like to take the time thank everyone who
has been part of this process from our club, especially Karen Fisher,
Phil Ravitz, Olly Croft and Malcolm Kiely and the rest of the committee
who have contributed.''
* THE CITIZEN'S FIRST PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY TAKES PLACE ON SATURDAY 9th JULY WHEN THEY TRAVEL TO PETERBOROUGH SPORTS WHO WERE UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE DIVISION ONE CHAMPIONS LAST SEASON.
