New artificial football pitch for Devon FA

The new pitch could ‘help England win the World Cup’

The FA has a ‘radical new approach’ to grassroots football that would reverse years of neglect by investing £230m in new 3G pitches across the country.

An existing football field at Coach Road in Newton Abbot is set to be replaced with a new artificial grass pitch that would accommodate an 11v11 football pitch, as well as a variety of youth football pitches, mini soccer pitches and training areas.

Councillor Jeremy Christophers, leader of Teignbridge, said: “An artificial football pitch is a high priority for us. If we can get a new artificial pitch in then we can keep our teams playing on a regular basis over the winter when pitches are waterlogged. Some of the lads who we are talking to who find themselves unable to play football find other priorities to do instead, which mainly involve them drinking beer, which isn’t keeping them fit and healthy as it could be.”

Hours of operation for the pitch would be between 9am and 10pm, Monday to Friday, and 9am to 7pm, Saturday to Sunday.

The FA have plans to invest £230m over five years in 150 new football hubs in 30 cities and to have a 50 per cent increase in the total number of full size publicly accessible 3G pitches in England, with a target of 50 per cent of all mini-soccer and youth football matches to be played on 3G pitches by 2020.