Sheffield selected for £9.6 million grassroots project

Sheffield has been chosen as the location for a pilot grassroots partnership between the Football Association (FA) and local authorities worth almost £10 million, according to BBC News.

Sheffield will be the first place to benefit from FA investment in grassroots football, with the Thorncliffe and Graves sports centres will be first to get new facilities.

The council said the city could get a total of six hubs with a second phase of investment in grass pitches, with funding would come mostly from the FA and local and national organisations.

After the Sheffield pilot, it is hoped investment will continue to 29 more towns and cities.

Councillor Isobel Bowler said the £9.6 million was “the biggest ever single investment in outdoor sports facilities”

“Football is Sheffield’s biggest team sport with over 800 teams, most of which are junior and youth teams.

“Cuts to our budgets in Sheffield mean it is getting harder to maintain our local pitches.”

Greg Dyke said: “I must congratulate Sheffield City Council for their ambition. They recognise the importance of football to this great city and came to us to help find a solution to the problem of maintaining and funding facilities.”

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