New complex the hassle for
EXETER City manager Matt Taylor has welcomed the potential problem of building work going on at the same time his team are chasing promotion from League Two.
It was announced at the end of October that the club’s owners – the fans – had voted overwhelmingly in favour of a new £2.2 million training complex at the club’s Cliff Hill training base with the bulk of that work due to begin in March.
At the same time, promotion hopefuls City – second in the table and boasting a 20-match unbeaten run prior to last night’s trip to Colchester United – will be looking to end their nine-year stint in the Football League basement.
In terms of timings, it perhaps could not come at a worse time, if City can maintain their superb form and are in the chase for promotion. But manager Taylor says it is a small price to pay for the long-term benefits that the new facilities will bring to the club.
“The structure and the timescale means that we shouldn’t be disrupted too much,” Taylor said. “Work starts in March, which is obviously still during the season, and when that happens, we can remain in the current building because the new building is going in front of this building and onto the grass area, or the grids, as they are known.
“Whilst that happens and there is a lot of work on this site, we are going to do most of our training on pitch two, which is at the far end of the training ground.
“Pitch one will be out of action, which is a bit of a blow, but it is something we have got to understand – and we do understand the reasons – that’s absolutely no problem whatsoever and we will probably have the last month/ month and a half of the season training on pitch two and using the astro when it’s needed.
“It’s needs must in terms of work starting in relation to that work starting as soon as it possibly could and March was the right time for that. It means that we
get the spring and summer months to do the baulk of the work and then, hopefully, it will be ready by September, so you will get through pre-season and see it taking shape and then, come the start of the new season, we will be close to moving into a new training building, which will give the lads a huge boost.”
Taylor added: “Hopefully it will help with recruitment as well but, in terms of the disruption, we don’t expect it to be too significant and any disruption we do understand because we know the football club will be better off with a new training building.”
The new facility will replace a temporary wooden pavilion which has been in
situ since 1974. The modular construction will be built off site and delivered once the groundwork has been complete at the training ground.
The proposed development provides for a completely new two-floor facility for both the first team and Academy staff. The building will include a new and larger fitness suite, separate canteen facilities (no longer shared with gym), larger changing and physiotherapy facilities, proper office accommodation and multi-use theatre/match preparation/ classroom space.
Over 97% of Supporters Trust members agreed to the investment with a further 96 per-cent voting in favour of a £600,000 loan from the Supporters’ Trust towards the cost of the project.
Meanwhile, the Grecians have rescheduled their Papa John’s Trophy clash at home to League One side Portsmouth for Tuesday, December 14 with a 7.45pm kick-off.
The game was originally scheduled for Tuesday, November 30, but had to be moved due to the replayed FA Cup replay with Bradford City being switched to that same evening.
Exeter’s Under-18 side, meanwhile, will play host to AFC Bournemouth in the third round of the FA Youth Cup at St James Park on Thursday, December 2 with a 7pm kick-off.