Despite the fact we have been closed since 26th March because of the lockdown nothing ever seems to stop at the Paycare Ground. Whilst all of our income streams stopped overnight there were still bills to pay, planned maintenance and improvements works to undertake, as well as preparing for the new season. So what exactly has been going on over the last few months?

Firstly the club received a massive boost this week when we agreed a 4-year sponsorship deal with Health Cash Plan and Planning provider Paycare. The agreement extends Paycare’s sponsorship of the club to 10 years, which is fantastic for a club of our size.

Paycare’s Chief Executive Kevin Rogers and Partnerships Engagement Officer Sally Bromley have been a dream to work with. To have a company of the size and stature of Paycare supporting us as the main sponsor is a shot in the arm for all of us.

Trade Centre UK will again be sponsoring the first team away kit and whilst we have lost a couple of advertisers and sponsors from last season entirely due to the pandemic, we have gained more than we have lost with several new sponsors and advertisers joining us for the first time in readiness for the new season.

Off the field and as lockdown eased significant improvements have been completed inside the clubhouse and dressing rooms.

We are greatly indebted to SMT Contractors and RapidFix Ceilings and Partitions Ltd who have been superb in providing materials and labour. Garry and Lynne Hale have done a lot of the work redecorating and refurbishing both club rooms and we have also had new ceilings supplied and fitted by RapidFix Ceilings and Partitions Ltd and LED lighting in both rooms. Garry and Lynne Hale have done a great job transforming the wooden floor in the main room have also worked wonders modernising the bar.

Of all of the work completed there is no doubt the “jewel in the crown” is the superb players gym and injury rehabilitation centre which has been built in the backroom. This is a first class facility and one which very few teams at our level have on their premises.

The dressing rooms have been re-painted with new flooring being laid in the upgraded medical rooms.

Needless to say the grounds maintenance team have been on the go re-seeding and top soiling all four pitches whilst maintaining the extensive surrounding areas and grounds. Gil Preece, George Hancox, and Dave Steventon have all done a tremendous job. Gil is not entirely happy with “his” pitches as there is still the odd area where the reseeding has not quite taken but he continues to work virtually every day getting all four pitches into the best possible playing condition.

After a wait of 9 months. planning permission was finally granted in June for the new security fencing and additional stands around the main pitch. We hope to finalise the funding arrangements for the erection of the fence shortly and hopefully works commence shortly.

The club continues to grow with the addition of new youth teams taking the total to 10 whilst the ladies team and set up continues to thrive. There is some exciting news in the next few days about the ladies future.

Oh yes, and to cap it all off we have had to put significant measures in place to meet Government and FA requirements to enable the club to re-open and for teams to start preparation and training for the new season. Pre-season matches are able to commence from 1st August after a risk assessment detailing how the club and all teams will mitigate the possibility of the spread of coronavirus. The full risk assessment will be and is required to be published on the clubs website, this will be available in the next few days.

First team manager Andy Parkes and his management team have been hard at work speaking to players and arranging fitness and training schedules for the players who have been working hard on their personal fitness since the beginning of May. All this before the FA updated their guidance at the beginning of June to allow small groups to train together. The squad and management have utilised modern technology, so when training alone their performance times, and exercises have been monitored by the watchful eyes of the sports therapist and the management team.

More recently the players have returned to training which has been ramped up to three sessions weekly. Several of last season’s players have left the club, but there have been several new additions which will be revealed over the forthcoming days.

Finally on behalf of everyone at the club I send best wishes to long time supporters Alma Davies and Graham Lloyd who have both had health issues recently.