NEWS ARCHIVE
Sports centre on up after cash injection
19th September 2001, Bolton Evening News
MAJOR improvements will be made at a Bolton sports complex following a large cash injection from a national organisation.
Astley Bridge Juniors FC are celebrating a massive payout from the Football Foundation.
The UK’s largest sporting charity has awarded £94,674 to the club to fund ground and pitch improvements at their home ground at Stapleton Avenue.
The three pitches at the ground will be completely refurbished and the collapsed drains replaced with a modern system.
In addition the car park and approach road will be completely resurfaced allowing easy access.
With these improvements it is hoped that boys and girls teams will soon be established with junior and mini soccer coaching sessions offered to local youngsters.
The Football Foundation has a £60m annual budget, dedicated to revitalising the grass roots of the game, constructing modern football facilities, developing football as a force for social cohesion and as a vehicle for education in communities throughout the country.
The foundation’s head of grass roots development Geoff Webb said: “This award is the latest in our funding revolution bringing grass roots football into the 21st century. The Football Foundation is determined to bring a new generation of football facilities to parks and schools throughout the country and this award will offer massive benefits to the community of Astley Bridge. This award is a tribute to the dedication and hard work of all those involved with the club.”
Astley Bridge Junior FC press officer Darryl Mellett, said: “I would like to pay tribute to chairman David Callery, and vice chairman Bernard Toland on behalf of the rest of the committee for all the hard work they have done to make this bid possible”.
Soccer Plans Are Winners
10th June 1999, Bolton Evening News
BOLTON Council chiefs hope they have scored a winner in trying to ensure two local football clubs do not pay the penalty for progress.
Their hopes are high that they have now secured the future of Astley Bridge and CMB Junior football clubs.
The council is planning to give a grant of £28,000 to Astley Bridge in a bid to help the club lose that “sinking feeling” on its water-logged pitches.
And it is proposing to allocate land at Lock Lane, Chew Moor, for replacement pitches and a pavilion for CMB.
Both clubs are affected by redevelopment.
Astley Bridge was relocated to the former St Cuthbert’s School in Stapleton Avenue in 1995 to allow the Tonge Valley redevelopment. The council helped to provide changing facilities and car parking but poor drainage has meant the two pitches have been out of play for nearly two years.
CMB is losing its “home ground” as Carnaud Metal Box Company has sold seven acres of land near the works for residential development.
Cllr Bob Howarth, council leader, said: “Both football clubs provide a valuable facility to young people and we want this to continue.
“The grant to Astley Bridge will help them pursue a Lottery grant for the same amount and to have the much-needed drainage work carried out.
“At Lostock, the potential developer agreed to provide replacement pitches and changing facilities for the CMB club if we could identity a suitable site. We have now done this.”
He added: “I am pleased we have been able to act in the interests of the two clubs who do so much good work in the community.”
David Callery, chairman of Astley Bridge, said: “We are absolutely over the moon. The state of the pitches have been demoralising and disruptive as the club has not had a base.
“We are grateful to the council. This good news will lead to the relaunch of the club.”
Richard Drath, secretary of CMB, said: “We are so thankful and delighted that the council has stepped in. Without their support our future was bleak.
“For the first time in five years, we now believe the future of the club is secure.”
The new ground will have two pitches and a cricket square providing year-round sports facilities.
Council pitches in to help soccer clubs
17th October 1996, Bolton Evening News
A Junior football club had grounds for delight after scoring a hat-trick with its new facilities, courtesy of Bolton Council.
Two pitches and changing rooms have been developed at the former St Cuthbert’s RC Secondary School playing fields off Old Kiln Lane for the four teams run by Astley Bridge Junior FC. The Club used to play on council-owned land off Union Road in the Tonge Valley.
As part of the City Challenge scheme for the area, the land was exchanged for a 12 acre site owned by the nearby Beloit Walmsley company.
The exchange meant that industrial development of more than £4 million could go ahead, creating hundreds of jobs.
At that time Bolton Council promised to try to find new facilities for the club and the former school fields fitted the bill.
New changing rooms and pitches have been developed at the site, at a cost of £75,000.
Cllr Bob Howarth, leader of Bolton Council, said: “I’m delighted things have worked out so well and to be able to hand over these new facilities to the club.
“It means that the plans for the City Challenge area are able to go ahead creating 300 jobs and the club has scored with its new headquarters.”