Football club says floodlights can help promotion bid

Club Chairman Andrew Meaden (middle) says the improvements would also support youth development

A town's historic football club says it needs to raise £65,000 for floodlights in order to help its fight towards promotion.

Trowbridge Town Football Club, in Wiltshire, said the funds for improvements at its Woodmarsh ground would allow it to progress to Step six of the non-league football pyramid.

The club, which dates back to 1880 and reformed in 1999, aims to raise half of the money by July.

Club Chairman Andrew Meaden said the lights would "create opportunities for local children to begin their footballing journey" at the club.

The planning application, that was approved by Wiltshire Council on 15 May, said eight floodlights would be installed as well as two new dugouts for home and away teams.

A condition was attached to the approval that sets out a requirement for Wiltshire Council and Natural England to ensure the floodlights have no adverse effect on the local wildlife, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Club Chairman Andrew Meaden said: “It sounds like such a simple thing, but with the floodlights, we are creating opportunities for local children to begin their footballing journey with us aged eight and stay right through into a senior playing career in their thirties and beyond.

“We can also expand our youth programme to include floodlit leagues and cups, providing even more opportunities for local players in grassroots football.

“We are also evaluating possibilities to recruit a coach and extend our programme to include Under six football in the near future.”

The club expects the lights to be used for one or two games per week.