Long Melford FC marks start of new era with official launch of new £700,000 multi-purpose clubhouse

A £700,000 clubhouse project seven years in the making has been formally declared open, in what supporters hope will serve as a springboard for increased community participation.

Players, club officials and guests gathered to cut the ribbon on the new Long Melford FC clubhouse in Stoneylands on Friday night.

The new facility, supported by grant funding from the Football Foundation, was purpose built to serve not only the club’s first team and youth set-up, but also accommodate community groups and events.

Rob Bowden, vice-chairman of the Long Melford Community Sports Trust – the organisation leading the project – said that, while the clubhouse has been operational for just over a year, it was great to be able to celebrate its completion.

“I think it’s a huge relief,” he told Suffolk News. “We knew we needed to do something to give the club a chance to survive and thrive.

“The support from the Football Foundation, in particular, meant we were in a position to move forward with it.

“I think the standard of the facilities would compete with the very best in the area, in terms of the quality of the dressing rooms, the main hall and the bar area.

“The whole reaction has been positive from the players, the supporters and the wider community.

“We’ve taken the biggest step and now it will be little steps going forward.”

Mr Bowden explained his hope is that, by encouraging more community use of the clubhouse, this will “get the snowball of progress rolling” on improving other aspects of the Long Melford FC grounds.

“We’re encouraged by the number of different groups that are starting to use it and I think that will continue to build,” he added.

“We’re talking about a ground being used a maximum of 75 days a year and any club that’s successful will tell you that you can’t survive like that.

“That was a huge part of the drive to get this project done. We want to continue to grow the amount of usage we’re getting out of it.

“It’s the area’s only modern facility built for this purpose. Moving forward, that will attract all sorts of people.”