Boom in girls' football sees new era at Ansley Cricket Club

A burgeoning girls’ section of a junior football club has prompted a move to a new home ground at Ansley Workshops, traditionally the home of the village cricket club.
A boom in girls' football will see changes to the set-up at Ansley WorkshopsA boom in girls' football will see changes to the set-up at Ansley Workshops
A boom in girls' football will see changes to the set-up at Ansley Workshops

As part of the arrangement, Haunchwood Sports would be given a two-year deal from North Warwickshire Borough Council and would carry out improvements to the Coleshill Road facilities.

Members of the council’s community and environment board agreed the request at their meeting this week.

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A report explained that most of Haunchwood’s teams had been based at Arley Recreation Ground for a number of years but added: “The club has considerably increased playing capacity and the number of teams within its structure, most particularly in support of the growth in girls’ football.

“Following repairs to the playing surface undertaken by the club, those teams needing an 11-a-side pitch were relocated to Ansley Workshops Sports Ground during the 2020-21 season.

“At a recent meeting with Haunchwood Sports Junior Football Club, a request was made to increase the number of football pitches at Ansley Workshops and to relocate the club to this site. The sports ground has the benefit of ancillary accommodation and there are large areas of the cricket outfield that can be reconfigured into mini football pitches to support small-sided teams.”

The report explained that current users, Ansley Cricket Club, had just one senior team and that the task of upkeeping the facilities fell on the shoulders of just a few individuals. Corley Cricket Club’s third team also uses the pitch.

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The report added: “In order to appropriately accommodate the junior football club at Ansley Workshops, there would be a need to undertake a small number of improvement works.”

This would include an upgrade to the car park and continued: “The changing pavilion would benefit from cosmetic improvement and the junior sports club has indicated its desire to make better use of the social space, which would require the provision of a new kitchen area, new carpet and other fixtures.

“The proposed improvements outlined would require external funding and, in support of this need, Haunchwood Sports has begun to raise funds internally. To assist with this process and to support a potential application for external investment in the grass pitches, the club requires a signed service level agreement to use the facilities for a 24 month period.”