By Jonathan Sutton

Alsager is to get a new 'FIFA quality standard pitch' as the current pitch at the Alsager school is to be replaced. The replacement had been planned pre-covid but has been delayed until now.

Ian Donaldson originally said he would personally donate £250,000 but due to the pandemic and upgrades to the existing infrastructure, costs shot up meaning he will now donate £300,000

Without the donation, the project would never have been possible. Richard Middlebrook, CEO The Cornovii Trust, which Alsager school is managed by said: "I've explored every other opportunity to try and get this replaced.

"This would not be happening without Ian's input. He's helped the school in the past and this is going to make a huge difference to the school."

The school is also contributing £90,000 toward the project. The project is scheduled to last 12 weeks and should be completed by December 12th.

It is not only the school which will benefit from this project but also the local community.

Will Ryder, Head of Academy, Port Vale FC commented "We've got close to 150 players in the academy right from under 9's to under 18's. 

"We've got a lot of players which are obviously Staffordshire based but also more importantly in this area Cheshire based.

"What this is going to allow us to do is have a base of our own in the evenings we are here. So for example on a Thursday evening we are able to now to homestart home games on a Thursday evening

"When we can bring other academies from the region and we can actually bring people to the area rather than our children and players always going to away fixtures

"From [the] Shanahan family at the football club [is] very much a family oriented club and the local community being at the heart of what we do 

Nick Marley, DNA Academy Co-owner & Director, which runs a program twice a week on a Saturday, said how much the project will impact DNA's work.

"Having a facility like this and seeing what it's going to be like once it's done is going to be fantastic for us

"It just means we've got an area where can can get all of our players on 

"To have a facility like this will be amazing. I came this school and to see it come in a school where I've been is brilliant for our player it will be fantastic

"Since the Euro's our demand for girls football has been crazy. So that's our next step. So here, this gives us the facility to house girls football because of the size. The only reason we haven't done that so far before is because of the venue and we haven't got a venue to do the girls football."

Scott Dundas, 1st Team manager Kidsgrove Athletic, said that space to get all the teams together has been an issue for the club and "to have a full pitch to work on is something that you can't get in and around the city"

Ian Donaldson, who is donating the money for the project, said: "This is an amazing facility in an amazing area in an amazing school

"Social mobility is so important I think at the moment, it is for me, I'm involved with lots of different thing about kids activities, getting kids out of the bedroom and off the xbox and doing things.

"It's going to make a huge difference to so many people and I think the great thing is it was a very independent tender, chosen a very reputable contractor, we've got a reputable maintenance people involved.

"This is going to be a facility that is going to be there for many many years."

He continued by saying "There's nothing worse than, we're living in an amazing village in Alsager than seeing facilities somewhat derelict or going to be unused"

The pitch is set to be completed by December 12th and is available for community bookings, which will be handled by Everybody Health and Leisure. Please direct enquiries to [email protected]