Exeter City purchase freehold of training ground
Exeter City have secured the future of the club's training base
- Published
Exeter City have completed a deal to purchase the freehold of the club's Cliff Hill training ground.
The site has been leased for more than 20 years and has been bought after a £100,000 loan from the Exeter City Supporters’ Trust, which owns the club. The lease was due to expire in 2028.
“This is a significant and important step for Exeter City Football Club, securing the training ground for the long term," said Supporters' Trust chair Nick Hawker.
"This season has seen the club make huge strides in relation to its structure and staffing and to end the season with the news that the Supporters’ Trust is making this purchase possible is something to celebrate."
Work on the £3.5m training facility, which is located on Sidmouth Road near Clyst St Mary, was completed last year.
The Supporters' Trust provided a sizeable loan for that project and much of the rest of the funding came from the proceeds of England striker Ollie Watkins' £28m transfer to Aston Villa from Brentford.
Watkins began his career at Exeter and the club received about £4.5m in add-ons following his move to Villa Park in the summer of 2020.