National First For Owls

It's not very often that we're at the forefront of new ideas on or off the pitch - but there will be a national first for Wednesday as they improve their Middlewood Road training ground.

The club will be the first in the country to install the latest FIFA approved third generation astroturf pitch as part of the two-part plan to improve the indoor training facilities at Middlewood Road.

The famous indoor dome at S6, which has been seen by passers-by on Middlewood Road for years, was damaged beyond repair during severe weather back in January and the club are set to install a new-improved dome complete with the 3G pitch.

And Academy Director Ashley Carson is delighted that the club will be welcoming new training facilities which are also being used by Italian giants Inter Milan and Juventus.

'I am delighted for the Board to have approved funding for the new facilities, including an enhanced dome. We will also be the first club in the UK to have the new 3G Astroturf, currently being used by Juventus and Inter Milan in Italy,' Carson told the official SWFC website.

'When we were looking to place the order for these new facilities consideration had to be given to the fact that we may relocate our training ground in the future. If we do that the dome and playing surface can be transferred so this is a long-term investment.'

And the club will also be able to re-locate the new facilities should the club secure a new training ground in their long-running battle to sale the current Middlewood Road facilities.

The new dome and 3G astroturf pitch at the training ground is set for completion by the end of August for the first team, and also the academy, to use the facilities.