Training ground set to welcome players on Friday
The redevelopment of Town’s Sundorne Training Ground is due to be completed today, with the final touches to the car park finished in time for the players return on Friday.
The project has seen nearly a million pounds of investment with the club taking ownership of the land and the redevelopment of the pitches and buildings on the site.
It will now serve as the first team’s base and they will train and work out of the Sundorne Castle site.
A lot of people have been involved in the project but Town physio Chris Skitt has added a new feather to his cap with a project management role.
“It was always going to be ready on time there was never any doubt we weren’t going to get it done”, said Skitty.
“It will take a bit of time over the next couple of days to get the final bits done to add the finishing touches.
“The furniture is going in and that will make a it difference, then the tidying up and the cleaning inside and then we should be there.
“It’s been brilliant for me to be part of it from the start, with the Chairman and Brian, Danny Coyne has been instrumental in the planning of the inside and keeping up to date with the progress.
“It’s down to the builders, the plumbers, the chippies, the electricians and everyone who has been involved in the project, without them we would never have got it done in the time frame.
“I know a few people think it should have been done in a few months but it is really a big project. There’s 520 square meters of the building and from taking it down, then building it back up here from a shell into the building we have here today.”
Some might raise an eyebrow to see the club’s physio so involved in the project but as the first team are going to be based there it is crucial that everything is right for their needs.
“It makes sense for me to be involved, but I also think there’s no one daft enough to help as well”, said Skitty.
“From the very start the Chairman, Brian and coaching staff had all said we would like our own bits personalised as we are the ones who see what happens day to day and what is required.
“It was a matter of fitting everyone’s views together and making those reasonable within the constraint of the budget, then going from there and building something which is fit for purpose and perfect for what we want.
“I believe we have achieved that and it is fit for purpose and a whole lot more.”
“I can’t emphasis how much progress it will bring to the club in terms of a forward step and it is a place that we can live out of.
“The gym is probably four times the size of the one we currently have, the training pitches give us more flexibility and us all keeping everyone together in the same environment is brilliant for team morale and building for success in the future.”
One of the big improvements the training ground will bring is to the medical science part of the club. A much larger gym, new equipment and new possibilities for training will help push the club forward.
“We spoke with the coaching staff and they said the three rooms that would be used most are the gym, physio room and the canteen, though hopefully the physio room won’t be used much for injuries.
“It’s a nice environment and how can it not inspire people and want them to do more. The doors from the gym face out onto the pitch, it’s light in the gym and the space we have will allow me to do more with the lads.
“They can also see the investment that we are putting into their development.
When assistant manager Chris Doig spoke to ShrewsWeb last week he made a tongue in check comment about hoping the training ground would be ready in time. Skitty is looking forward to seeing Doigy on Friday and showing him to his new office; “Doigy is always grumpy but I’ll look forward to seeing him on Friday and meeting him with a big smile at the front door with everything done.”