Page 5 - Longwell Green v Gillingham Town 271121

Welcome to Shellards road for today’s first Saturday game at this great new venue. We offer
a welcome to our visitors from Dorset Gillingham Town.
We are all very proud to be at Longwell Green on Tuesday evening for the opening game.
It was a great game of football against Radstock Town ending in a 2-2 draw with Aidan
Sanfelice grabbing both goals. There was a great crowd of 425 here to witness the opening
game with many old players and friends from the local football community amongst the
crowd.
The way I see it as Chairman, the facilities will be here for generations to come for players
of all ages to enjoy and will bring together what is already a great family community club.
By doing this we have left a legacy. The project started over 3 years ago when the football
club was approached by the Football Foundation and South Glos Council as a part of their
FA football pitch strategy to provide 3G facilities in local areas across the Country.
We then started down a very long road to apply for various grants mainly through the
Premier League and Government via the Football Foundation and also stadium improvement
fund, floodlight improvement fund and S106 grant from South Glos.
The project funding was also supported by a large sum raised by our junior section over
many years with only the football stands and part of the floodlight system remaining from
the old Western League ground. Having been awarded the grant we then had to go through
the planning process and I can say this was a long drawn out life experience but when you
hear of so many sports projects like this turned down in the City of Bristol I am pleased that
we could work together with South Glos Council to get to where we are tonight.
There have been many people who have helped out on this project. A big thank you must
go to my fellow junior Chairman and Trustee of the Community Centre Neale Saunders
whose financial skills in this project have been invaluable. Also Paul Griffin, from the junior
section together with my Vice Chairman Brad Vickerman and the rest of the Management
Team at theSenior’s. We also needed the support from the Community Centre in this project
and this came from Chairman Chris Wyrill and his Committee.
The Club would like to thank those listed below who have lent their support: -

Toby Savage, Chair of South Glos Council Christine Price South Glos Councillor
Chris Skidmore MP Richard Pope Chair of OldlandParish Council
Member’s of Oldland Parish Council Spencer Mann RLF
Simon Wood SLPC Consultants Matt Boucher GFA
Brendan Dix FA Issie Collins FA
Chris Davies FA Tom Willson FA
Alistair Moore C C Grass Simon Britton Optimum Drywall
All Club Sponsors Tina Rainey South Glos
South Glos Planning Dept Toolstation Western League
Hengrove FC
This afternoon, we welcome Longwell Green girls Under 8 team who are our mascots for
today’s game and have a chance for a run out on the new surface.
Hope you enjoy the football.
John Gibbs
Chairman

Next Game: Welton Rovers at home KO 7:30pml