Work begun on new facilities

Trustees there have secured £232,000 for new facilities including changing, physiotherapy and conference rooms and a refreshments area.

Work has already started on the new facilities and it is hoped the build will be completed by July.

Russell Booth, chairman of Mansfield Hosiery Mills Football Club (MHMFC), said the £250,000 project would be good for sport and provide top quality facilities for the eight football teams currently resident there.

“I did not think it would take three years but that is how long it takes to go through the process and it has been quite stressful trying to bring it all together.”

Russell, together with help from colleagues at MHMFC and the social club, worked for three years to get the funding from Nottinghamshire Football Association, the Football Stadia Improvement Fund, the Football Foundation and Nottinghamshire County Council.

But the social and football clubs played their own part by raising £20,000 through various events such as quiz nights and charity bag-packs.

As well as MHMFC and a number of youth teams, the social club also hosts Sutton Town FC.

Said Russell: “At the moment we are having to change at the social club which is a bit detached from the ground.

“Everybody thinks it is lovely news because the place is a bit of an eyesore and this will really tidy the sports ground up.”