David Bloxham: Purchase of Cheltenham Town training base brings club security

Cheltenham Town enjoyed their highest-ever league finish in 2021-22

Cheltenham Town chairman David Bloxham said the purchase of the club's training complex will help make the club more "secure" for the future.

The Robins completed the deal on the 22-acre facility in Swindon Village, which they have used for 20 years.

The previous deal saw them rent the facilities from insurance firm Zurich, as tenants.

"We had the facilities there but only a limited amount of security," Bloxham told BBC Radio Gloucestershire.

"We could at any time effectively have been asked to end the lease at the end of the term and we then would have been looking for a new home.

"Acquiring the freehold to the training ground is something which offers so many benefits to the club."

Since 2013 the club have expanded to take over the complex, just outside Cheltenham.

As well as being the Robins' training base, it is also the location for reserve and academy games.

"The training ground will give us great options going forward and I think it will allow us to build a stronger financial base which in turn will enable us to maintain a very good playing budget going forward," Bloxham continued.

Cheltenham came 14th in League One last year, their highest finish since being promoted to the English Football League for the first time in 1999.

Former first-team coach Wade Elliott was promoted to head coach in June following the departure of Michael Duff, who had steered the club to League One.

"We have garnered transfer fees and our playing budget has gone up several fold over the last few years, so it's not as if we've sacrificed playing budget.

"You have build for the future, you have to make sure the club is secure and we've been very prudent and the money that we've had in terms of transfer fees has been very well used by this club."

Bloxham also confirmed that redeveloping the club's Completely Suzuki Stadium at Whaddon Road remains on the "wishlist" for the future.

"Of course we've got to try and do something, because we need to improve the facilities, we need to improve the income streams for the club and I think the ground redevelopment, once we've managed to achieve that, is something which can take us onto the next level."

Analysis

Peter Matthews, BBC Radio Gloucestershire

This is a significant step for the Robins who now have a potentially appreciating asset and will no longer, of course, have to pay rent to their landlords.

The club has made major strides on the pitch in the last few seasons, this is the beginnings of trying to ensure the infrastructure off the field matches the progress being made on the field, under David Bloxham's leadership.