Canalside work for player safety

Huddersfield Town players Kasey Palmer and Chris Lowe, right, arriving at PPG Canalside, for the first training session of the Premier League campaign using Canalside said much of the planned re-development seems to be targeted at ensuring Town players’ safety.

He said there had been incidents where football personalities had been approached by nonmembers for autographs and selfies, and that the club was keen to stamp out such incidents by restricting access.

“The back of the club is the designated professional area with no public admittance. The bowlers do not pester the players but there are more football stalkers coming into the club and walking up to the players and asking for pictures. They are not happy about that.

“I think eventually it will be used for football only. They are already increasing the number of security staff because of the success of the football club.”

Peter Gilbert, long-serving HBSA member and its webmaster, said: “In my opinion and in my experience Canalside appears to be dying. We do not appear welcome anymore and it is not a pleasant place to be anymore.

“I will not be renewing my membership in August. I have found somewhere else to play. The condition of the tables is poor. The match table is not good. The playing area is too cramped.

“There is not enough space to hold our Finals Fortnight there. The association will also move its matches to another venue because they don’t feel welcome anymore. Several clubs have offered their services.”

The HBSA boasts 47 active clubs with 136 teams and more than 1,100 players aged 14 to 90-plus.