News

At the club's annual meeting this week chairman Mark Evans confirmed a revision of the management and coaching structure with previous reserve team boss Alan Titterton switched to a first team coaching role.

And Evans, who has lead the board for the past 14 months, also announced increased financial stability at the Moat Ground club which had been facing ruin during the late 1990's.

Now the Moatmen have embarked on a "preliminary list of ground improvements and repair" which features 28 objectives, 18 being ranked as priorities.

Work to improve drainage at the notorious Moat Ground pitch, including the creation of a soak away beneath the centre circle and drainage to a pumping station is already underway.

The pitch is also to be verti-drained, a process whereby thousands of small holes are drilled into the turf and filled with sand.

Dressing room alterations, including the removal of the defunct boiler, have been pencilled in.

To help pay for the improvements to the park, which will cost around £950, Evans has asked supporters to sponsor a square foot of re-laid pitch.

"Our ground staff have done a tremendous amount of good work this season because we've only had one game postponed due to water and that's remarkable when you think about the weather we've had during the season. Postponed games mean revenue lost so there's an obvious need to avoid that where possible. We need to re-turf about 650 square feet of the pitch and we'd like sponsors to donate £1.50 per square foot to raise the finances to undertake the work. We're still not totally there but we've already had £528 pledged of which a large part has already been collected so we're very pleased with the way the appeal is going."

The club is also hoping to recruit volunteers for its Ground Force team that will carry out work at the stadium over the course of the summer.

Anyone willing to donate time or materials should contact Mark Evans, during business hours on 01530 565100 or Barrie Morton on 07973 982246.