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Renamed Welsh TNS lands GBP 445,000 grant
Welsh - 14 June, 2006
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Welsh Premier League club The New Saints received an award from The Football Foundation, and will redevelop Oswestry's Park Hall Stadium.
The club, Welsh Premier League champions under the former name of TNS (Total Network Solutions) will receive GBP 445,038 from the English sports charity that is funded by the FA Premier League, The Football Association, Sport England and the UK Government.
The grant will go towards new and improved multi-functional facilities providing for a wide range of activities with football being the main focus. The GBP 3 million redevelopment will include replacement of the existing grass pitch with a floodlit, full-size third generation Astroturf surface, to go with new changing facilities, coach education training rooms, social facilities, bar and catering, an indoor children's play area and 10-lane 10-pin bowling alley.
Lack of investment has allowed the changing facilities and grass surface to suffer. To cater for the needs of the local community, clubs and schools, the replacement of the grass pitch with an artificial surface will greatly increase the availability of the facility to local people.
The redevelopment is planned for completion in May 2007 at which point TNS will quit their ground in Llansantffraid to play in Oswestry, across the border in England.
"This award to The New Saints Football Club will be a boost to the area and the Shropshire FA deserves credit for its work on this project," said Paul Thorogood, chief executive of the Football Foundation.
The New Saints were one of only two fully professional clubs in the league to put its name up for commercial auction online earlier this year.
"One offer in particular was a front-runner," says managing director Mike Harris. "We were unable to agree a mutually acceptable deal in time for our UEFA Champions League campaign, as a new name had to be agreed by the FA of Wales. � We could not continue to use the Total Network Solutions name after the end of last season and needed to find a new name for the club.
"The New Saints - and the new badge we are adopting - reflects the fact that the club is a recent merger of Llansantffraid and Oswestry Town football clubs. Llansantffraid has always been known by the nickname 'Saints' and the town of Oswestry has strong connections with Saint Oswald."
The club will now start their Champions League qualifying campaign in July under the new name - still without a sponsor - after a positive decision by the league's board of directors and a vote of clubs at the annual general meeting of the Football Association of Wales.
The club, Welsh Premier League champions under the former name of TNS (Total Network Solutions) will receive GBP 445,038 from the English sports charity that is funded by the FA Premier League, The Football Association, Sport England and the UK Government.
The grant will go towards new and improved multi-functional facilities providing for a wide range of activities with football being the main focus. The GBP 3 million redevelopment will include replacement of the existing grass pitch with a floodlit, full-size third generation Astroturf surface, to go with new changing facilities, coach education training rooms, social facilities, bar and catering, an indoor children's play area and 10-lane 10-pin bowling alley.
Lack of investment has allowed the changing facilities and grass surface to suffer. To cater for the needs of the local community, clubs and schools, the replacement of the grass pitch with an artificial surface will greatly increase the availability of the facility to local people.
The redevelopment is planned for completion in May 2007 at which point TNS will quit their ground in Llansantffraid to play in Oswestry, across the border in England.
"This award to The New Saints Football Club will be a boost to the area and the Shropshire FA deserves credit for its work on this project," said Paul Thorogood, chief executive of the Football Foundation.
The New Saints were one of only two fully professional clubs in the league to put its name up for commercial auction online earlier this year.
"One offer in particular was a front-runner," says managing director Mike Harris. "We were unable to agree a mutually acceptable deal in time for our UEFA Champions League campaign, as a new name had to be agreed by the FA of Wales. � We could not continue to use the Total Network Solutions name after the end of last season and needed to find a new name for the club.
"The New Saints - and the new badge we are adopting - reflects the fact that the club is a recent merger of Llansantffraid and Oswestry Town football clubs. Llansantffraid has always been known by the nickname 'Saints' and the town of Oswestry has strong connections with Saint Oswald."
The club will now start their Champions League qualifying campaign in July under the new name - still without a sponsor - after a positive decision by the league's board of directors and a vote of clubs at the annual general meeting of the Football Association of Wales.
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