Despite pandemic, work continues for Sporting D espite the lockdown restrictions, work has continued during the close season at the Victoria Ground with distancing measures being observed.
At the end of May a state-of-the-art irrigation system was installed with eight sprinklers embedded in the pitch allowing groundsman Steve Dipple better control of the watering of the grass that can now be done from his mobile phone! Then in early June, work was completed on refurbishing the roof of the main stand replacing old asbestos cladding with coated steel panels and at the same time named after the Bromsgrove student, Thomas Jones who tragically died in Worcester two years ago. Thomas was a player with one of Sporting’s junior teams. It is hoped that another match will be played at the Victoria Ground to remember him once the lockdown restrictions are lifted. Although no honours were awarded this season, Sporting did have some success off the pitch being awarded third place in their league for the match day programme by a prestigious national organisation who act as a coordinating body for football programmes.
The set up of the women’s team continues to go well and they will play matches at the Victoria Ground on Sunday afternoons once football gets going again. Unfortunately though, the Club have decided that they will not field a team in the Midland Floodlit Youth League next season. There is now a busy and active Colts set up that have the ability to run teams at under 18s level. Anybody interested in playing for our women’s or Colts teams should send enquiries to hello@ bromsgrovesporting.co.uk. Meanwhile Sporting are still helping in the current crisis by opening the Victoria Ground every Tuesday from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. for donations to local food banks. Photos show the main stand now named the Thomas Jones Stand and the new irrigation system in action taken by our groundsman, Steve Dipple using his drone camera. See www.bromsgrovesporting.co.uk for more information.
by Phil Baker
30 Completely Bromsgrove
