The Welsh Football Trust is embarking on an exciting new phase in its strategy for the development of the game. ‘Growing the Game and Raising Standards’ is the Trust’s Strategic Plan for 2010 to 2014. The Plan highlights how the generally poor standard of grass roots facilities and playing surfaces in Wales could inhibit the planned potential growth of the game.

Working in partnership with Sport Wales and the FAW, the Trust is seeking to collaborate with local authorities, educational establishments and football clubs to stimulate the development of inspiring and ‘fit for the future’ facilities, providing improved playing surfaces to meet our objectives of developing more and better players.

Our Vision

The rationale for the Welsh Football ‘Better Facilities’ vision is ambitious and includes:-

· improving Academy facilities that help develop talented players to progress in the performance pathway;

· improving Football facilities to increase their capacity to support greater use by more teams or clubs;

· Facilities that can support more mini football - for age groups ranging from under 7’s to under 11’s, feeding into junior football;

· Facilities that can support informal and small sided recreational leagues, catering for ‘lifelong’ adult participation;

· Facilities to support improved junior football standards, as well as increasing and maintaining participation;

· Facilities to better integrate junior and senior football;

· Where appropriate club facilities used to serve the wider community – as alternative learning centres or for other sporting needs.

These aspirations will demand more playing facilities that can support increase football use all year round. [MORE]