Star of football world to open floodlit school pitch

The new artificial turf pitch forms part of a £750,000 investment in sport at the school which will also see all remaining grass pitches drained to a high standard.

A number of other guests have been invited to the event on Monday, March 21, including Nick “Peanut” Baines, Nick Hodgson and Simon Rix of the band Kaiser Chiefs.

The new facilities are a boost for St Mary’s and the wider sporting community, including the school’s partner clubs of Guiseley Juniors FC, Menston Juniors FC and Burley Trojans FC.

The project was part funded with the help of a £325,000 grant from the Football Foundation, which is funded by the Premier League, the FA and the Government via Sport England.

Paul Thorogood, chief executive of the Football Foundation said: “We are delighted that St Mary’s and the local community will have access to these fantastic new facilities and commend the school and the County FA for all their hard work in making this happen.”

David Geldart, assistant headteacher, has campaigned for such a facility at St Mary’s for over a decade said: “I am delighted with the new facilities, they are everything that we ever hoped for and they are no less than the school and the wider community deserve.

“There was always the need for such a facility in the area and it was just a question of convincing others of that fact and of course the small matter of raising the £750,000 which has not been easy.”

Catherine McMahon, acting headteacher said yesterday: “This outstanding state of the art facility proved extremely difficult and time-consuming to bring to fruition.

“It is therefore all the more prized to us because of this fact.”