New training ground

Stu99

Well-known member
With the new training ground on the horizon, what facilities would everyone like to see?

For me I’d like a viewing area to watch the youth team play, either a small terrace or a few raised seats and a sports bar/fanzine similar to Fleetwoods poolfoot complex.
 
Hopefully it will also have community all weather pitches for use all year round, but whatever is built will be lightyears on from the shed and portacabins that is laughably called our training center.
 
A decent clubhouse with good changing rooms. Supporters bar with memorabilia in. Several pitches so the club could host some six a side leagues. I don't want to copy poolfoot, but something similar could be good
 
I only went to Poolfoot once on a Saturday morning to see BFC youth team but the one thing that struck me as soon as I arrived was what a fun atmosphere it was.There were games going on all over the place of different age groups,all the parents were buzzing around the place and there were kiosks selling food and drinks,bit of music playing if I remember right?You could tell the kids really enjoyed being there on Saturday mornings.
 
Don't know whether this is relevant to the new training ground or not but anyway... There is a non-League side, Anchorsholme FC who play in the Mid-Lancashire Football League. They used to be based near Yeadon Way, at the HASSRA Fylde Sports Ground, but they moved into Poolfoot Farm and that is their home venue now.
 
The major issue with recreating Poolfoot is it's sheer size however 100% agree with the comments about the buzz there is down there

It's a goldmine for AP to boot

A covered training facility would be a superb addition - you can get these ' outside in ' ones that give you the best of both worlds
 
The question that needs to be asked (to the Club) is what Category of Academy are they looking to go for. We are currently Cat 3. If we are looking to go Cat 2, then an indoor training facility is a requirement, in addition to the various 4G, grass pitches, etc. I would like to see the Club commercialise the new facility in the way that has been done at Poolfoot. However, I'm not sure if this will be the way that we will go.
 
The question that needs to be asked (to the Club) is what Category of Academy are they looking to go for. We are currently Cat 3. If we are looking to go Cat 2, then an indoor training facility is a requirement, in addition to the various 4G, grass pitches, etc. I would like to see the Club commercialise the new facility in the way that has been done at Poolfoot. However, I'm not sure if this will be the way that we will go.

It was stated apparently that we are aiming for a good category 2 academy. It's worth pointing out that in league 1 and 2, there are currently only 5 clubs with that status - Bolton, Crewe, Colchester, Coventry, Ipswich.
 
It was stated apparently that we are aiming for a good category 2 academy. It's worth pointing out that in league 1 and 2, there are currently only 5 clubs with that status - Bolton, Crewe, Colchester, Coventry, Ipswich.
Cheers - Cant wait to see the plans. 👍
 
The major issue with recreating Poolfoot is it's sheer size however 100% agree with the comments about the buzz there is down there

It's a goldmine for AP to boot

A covered training facility would be a superb addition - you can get these ' outside in ' ones that give you the best of both worlds
Poolfoot is excellent and for Piley have to had the vision to build that AND then make money from it with the size of club that ostensibly it was built for just shows you......”Build it and they will come”
 
I think poolfoot has some kind of indoor pitch facility although I could be wrong. We can’t expect the world so I’d take a good baseline facility to start off, with potential to expand.
I’ve been there a few times and I ain’t seen an indoor pitch but I stand to be corrected
 
I have never seen the training ground as this Holy Grail - I just genuinely want somewhere for our players to train that doesn’t involve a shed, cold water and gale force winds!!
 
I think bearing in mind what the Blackpool board have achieved to date, we’ll end up with a training ground vastly superior to the cods. We’re playing catch up in this respect but we’ll soon overtake them.
 
Having appointed our new head coach I’m sure Sadler and Mansford have shown him the plans for the new training ground and for Critchley to accept the post I can only assume it must be something special for him to sign , Sadler doesn’t doesnt do things by halves I can only see it being top quality . He has always talked about having an excellent academy . And his one aim or maybe two main aims when getting the club was investing in the academy and getting us in the championship. Good times ahead . Up the mighty pool .
 
I have never seen the training ground as this Holy Grail - I just genuinely want somewhere for our players to train that doesn’t involve a shed, cold water and gale force winds!!
I think nowadays it can be so much more than a training ground.
Using our near neighbours as an example it's a hive of activity with youngsters playing football.
Lots wearing their colours that's what we need to do, to getting that generation back.
It's not just about the football ground , times have moved on UTMP
 
I’d love to know how many players did a U-turn after seeing Squires Gate.
Karl used to claim it was all about the money with players and they could train on the beach if they had to.
Well things have moved on and players expect / demand a decent standard of training facility. They will be spending more time per week there than Bloomfield Road. Things like this would tip the balance in our favour for difficult contract negotiations and potential loan targets.
 
Back
Top