Football pitches set to be improved with £600,579 from the Football Foundation’s Grass Pitch Maintenance Fund and £276,477 in partnership funding from Medway Council

Grassroots football in Medway is about to get a massive upgrade – with £877,000 being pumped into 62 football pitches across the area.

A recent assessment of the council pitches in Medway painted a poor picture, with 52 of the 62 graded as basic or poor, with many overused and unable to meet the current or future demand.

That followed a 2019 assessment, which found that the majority of grass football pitches across the area were of the same low standard.

With an increasing population and rising participation rates, there has been a need for investment for some time. That’s now going to happen, with major investment over the next six years.

Across 17 sites in Medway, the project will see £600,579 worth of investment coming from the Football Foundation’s Grass Pitch Maintenance Fund, supported with £276,477 in partnership funding from Medway Council.

Across Kent, the county FA have helped bring in grants totalling £3.8 million from the Football Foundation through the Grass Pitch Maintenance Fund. When including partnership contributions, that figure rises to £5.7 million.

Investment is designed to enhance maintenance operations and pitch standard, reduce postponements and increase the number of games each pitch can handle a week.

Medway Council has worked in partnership with the Rochester & District Football League, Medway Area Sunday Football League, Medway District Youth League and Anchorians Football Club, who all sit on the Medway Football Steering Group.

Medway Council and the Kent FA helped in the successful bid for the funding and 17 sites will benefit from the investment.

The pitches are at Barnfield Playing Field, Beechings Cross, Beechings Way, Borstal Rec, Chatham Garrison Ground, Cliffe Woods Rec, Cozenton