It may not be Manchester United's Theatre of Dreams, but South Normanton's Exchem Arena offers its own unique football ambition.

Just over a year ago the area lay derelict after South Normanton entered football's unwanted band of club's to have gone to the wall.

But in June this year the former NCEL Premier Division club were reformed thanks to a group of dedicated football lovers looking to take the Shiners back to their former position.

Club chairman Phil Bailey, who is a former Teversal and Blackwell player, rolled up his sleeves with a small band of dedicated fans to transform the Lees Lane ground up to footballing standards.

Said Phil: "One of the main reasons I turned to this project was because I couldn't improve the club I was currently at.

"I live in this area and wanted to do something positive for the commmunity and take this challenge on.

"There has been a lot of work to do but things are on the up. I have had a fantastic team working with me and without their dedication we could not have achieved what we have done."

The club opened up their new life in the Central Midlands Football League Premier Division with a 1-0 win away to Hutton Cranswick United on 15th August and are currently sitting in a comfortable mid-table position.

And ambitious Phil, who also played for Belper Town, now hopes to build another stand and add a boys team to their current first team, reserves and U19 sides.

Said Phil: "Things are going well so far, it has been hard work but very enjoyable.

"Our crowds are anything from 50 upwards so we have some potential. We are progressing well now and have got good facilities here.

"We want to take the club as high as we possibly can and to get back in the Northern Counties East League."

South Normanton joined the Central Midlands Football League in 1990 and were promoted to the Premier Division in the 1993/94 season.

They then spent eight of the next nine seasons in the CMFL Premier Division.

In the 2002/03 season they made the step up to the Northern Counties East League First Division, before promotion to the NCEL Premier Divsion four seasons later.