Go-ahead for national centre
04 Jun 2008 - 08:48:32
The Football Association has confirmed that the long-awaited National Football Centre will be based at Burton-on-Trent in Staffordshire.
Last month's Strategic Vision report by the FA set the objective of having the centre up and running by 2010 and, although planning permission and funding have yet to be secured, the confirmation of the final site moves the protracted project further forward.
"I'm delighted that we have reached this point. The NFC is an extremely important part of our future and we can now press ahead with making it a reality," said FA chief executive Brian Barwick.
"It is great news that progress is being made and now we must look to the finer detail and achieve a world-class facility to help our cause."
The FA initially purchased the 350-acre site in 2000 but the project - which has been hailed as the equivalent of France's Clairefontaine national centre - had remained in limbo.
FA director of football development Sir Trevor Brooking added: "It is essential to the long-term development of coaching and young players that we have a hub for all our activity and the NFC will provide that.
"Everyone recognises the significance of the facility across all levels of the game."
