Ellesmere Port to see new football pitches unveiled

Ellesmere Port is to see the unveiling of two new 3G football pitches.

The town’s MP Justin Madders, who plays in Parliamentary football squads, is teaming up with former FA chief executive and current Tranmere Rovers chairman Mark Palios to open the pitches at Vauxhall Motors sports and social club.

The project has been made possible by a £541,413 grant from the Premier League and The FA Facilities Fund delivered by the Football Foundation.

The funding has enabled the sports club to refurbish and upgrade a 16-year-old artificial pitch which was no longer fit for purpose due to its age.

A brand new state-of-the-art all-weather playing surface with floodlights has also been installed on a grassed area which was prone to serious flooding in wet winter months.

The two new 3G pitches can be used all-year round in any weather according to the foundation. They will benefit a number of local football clubs including Vauxhall Motors FC, Wirral Albion Girls FC, Saughall Colts JFC and Tranmere Rovers Ladies FC.

With a drive to attract more girls to football, the club expects to see an increase in female participation of almost 300%.

Since 2000 investment by the Football Foundation’s funding partners in Cheshire has provided 346 grants worth £12.3m towards grassroots sports projects worth over £23m across the whole of the county.

The opening will take place on Friday, July 13, at 6pm.