Ambitious Mansfield Town unveil exciting plans for academy expansion

The Stags have submitted a planning application to Mansfield District Council for the highly-acclaimed RH (Radford and Hymas) Academy on land off Woburn Lane, Pleasley.

It’s just the latest exciting move in the upwardly mobile trajectory of the club since it was rescued by husband-and-wife gurus John Radford (owner and chairman) and Carolyn Radford (chief executive officer) back in 2010.

The academy, which is named after Radford and club director Steve Hymas, opened in 2018. Used by the first team for training, by the academy teams and by students, youngsters and the wider public, it already boasts facilities that are the envy of many professional clubs.

Two years ago, a further site across the road, spanning 5.5 acres, was bought by the Stags from Nottinghamshire County Council with a view to expanding the academy.

And now the plans have been unveiled for an indoor training football pitch, a full-sized outdoor football pitch with four floodlights, a sports hall, changing rooms, gym building and two new car parks.

Academy director Hymas has submitted the planning application, while supporting documents and drawings have been prepared by the Rainworth-based company, SJI Designs, led by Steve Iberle.

A planning statement says: “MTFC Academy are in need of enhanced training facilities.

"The academy teams, MTFC’s Football In The Community programme and local football clubs are currently unable to meet their training and competitive sporting needs due to the lack of provision in the area. There is also a lack of indoor community sport facilities.

"Leisure and sports facilities contribute to sustainable communities. They play an important part in ensuring a good quality of life by supporting the needs of local sport teams.

"This proposal would ensure the site has a long-term future, meet the aims of MTFC to develop it as a sustainable community hub for local sport and enhance a high-quality facility that can be used all year round.”

The expansion would also tackle car parking, which had become “problematic”, particularly during evenings and at weekends because the academy was so well used.

When the club bought the new site, which was formerly allotment land, they described it as “a big step towards our commitment to youth development and community engagement”.

The planning application reveals that the club sought the views of Pleasley residents on the expansion plan as part of an engagement process.

The residents were overwhelmingly positive and said it was far preferable to a residential or commercial development on the land.

The Stags’ academy currently runs teams at under-21 and under-18 levels. It is managed by Richard Cooper, and the coaching staff includes two former professional players in Steve Chettle (ex-Nottingham Forest) and Ian McParland (ex-Notts County).

The ultimate aim of the academy is to provide players for Nigel Clough’s first team and only last week, four of the academy’s teenagers signed professional contracts with the Stags.

On the potential expansion, a club spokesman previously said: “We look forward to welcoming more young players to our ranks and seeing the positive impact of our new facilities.”

Mansfield Council’s planning officers are currently considering the scheme and have set a deadline date of Tuesday, August 19 for a decision or recommendation.