Intermediate Ground Improvement Project
Intermediate Ground Improvement Project
The Association is pleased to announce the allocation of €525,000 to assist Intermediate clubs in meeting the revised Intermediate Football Ground Criteria which come into effect from season 2009/10.
The Club Licensing and Facilities Department, in conjunction with the Intermediate Committee, undertook ground inspections against the revised Intermediate Football Ground Criteria at 139 grounds in October 2007. Only 23 clubs passed this criteria, which highlighted the significant level of need for facility improvements.
As a result, a total of €525,000 from the UEFA HatTrick II Assistance Programme has been allocated to facility improvement projects for Intermediate clubs. 
Eligible clubs were invited to lodge an application for funding and a total of 67 applications were received.
Clubs were assessed on a needs basis and as a result of this the funding threshold was increased to £10,000. All 67 clubs were given provisional offers of funding in September 2008. Awards range from £2,000 to £10,000 and typical projects include funding towards dugouts, pitch perimeter and ground perimeter fencing and modifications to dressing rooms.
Club Licensing and Facilities Manager David McVeigh commented “this project demonstrates the benefits that targeted improvement programmes in parallel with appropriate ground criteria can have for the football family.”
Work is progressing on site at many clubs and the Club Licensing and Facilities Department is now undertaking final inspections with the Intermediate Committee. A number of clubs have completed their projects and received payment from the Association.
The Intermediate Committee has recently agreed an extension to the deadline for the completion of works and all Intermediate Clubs will now be required to meet the revised ground criteria by 30 June 2009.
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