Sunderland grassroots club receives exciting update on their bid for new pitches
Written by Thomas Kelly-Hansford on 9th December 2022
Sunderland RCA YFC have received an approval for a new set of grassroots football pitches in the local area.
In January 2022, Sunderland RCA YFC secured £40,000 to build a fence and install security cameras around the King George V playing fields in Ryhope.
The bid for the funding came after the fields were wrecked and ruined by antisocial behaviour, which caused the pitches to be unusable on and off for around 15 years.
Sunderland RCA YFC have now had the land approved to be used as pitches and the club will be submitting planning permission for the fences in due course. Speaking on the impact to the community this could have, Sunderland RCA YFC under-17 manager Paul Wilkinson has said: “Our goal is to create sporting opportunities for our players to grow and develop within a safe, family friendly driven environment.
“We aim to reduce antisocial behaviour and provide coaches, players and parents an area to be proud of.”
Sunderland RCA are a Northern League side who have a big youth section, housing teams from under-7 all the way to adult sides.
They provide hundreds of children with the opportunity to play football in leagues spread across the region, and they’re always looking for ways to expand and improve.
The new facility aims to aid the community, allowing the club more capabilities when it comes to supplying children with the chance to play football.
It’s a process that has been ongoing for over a year, and it may still be sometime before the pitches are ready for use. A club spokesperson added: “It’s a slow process. Realistically, the earliest I would think they’ll be ready is the start of next season (August/September 2023).”
