With the new season rapidly approaching, essential ground maintenance has been well under way at Pershall Park. Aside from the usual painting and general upkeep jobs, a successful funding application a little while back provided the opportunity to replace the existing 78 red seats which had been purchased second hand some sixteen years ago with brand new ones in the club colours.

The replacement work in front of the clubhouse and in the Chester Road stand took a little while longer than expected due to some unforeseen problems. However, whilst committee members were promoting the club at Eccleshall Festival last Saturday, chairman Neil Washington and director Bill Grinham put the finishing touches to installing the final seats in readiness for the first pre-season friendly against Hanley Town on Friday evening. The photo shows the new blue seating in the Chester Road stand.

With the planning application submitted to Stafford Borough Council for the installation of the fifty-seater Jake Standbridge Memorial Stand, the ongoing plans to improve the spectator experience for visitors to Pershall Park are making progress.

The ‘close season’ also provided the opportunity to prepare the land behind the stand and dugouts for a new junior pitch which should, hopefully, be operational in the not-too-distant future. A considerable amount of work has been undertaken by Andy Gough to both clear and level the land for the pitch and a little more rain should help to bring the already sprouting seed through. After a very successful season for our junior sides, this new facility provides a welcome addition for our developing junior section.