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Club's de-light at £10,000 funding boost
THE future is looking bright for an amateur football club which has netted £10,000 to put up new floodlights.
Bosses at Boldon CAFC, known locally as Boldon Villa, have been told they will not be allowed into the Northern League until a number of improvements have been made to their home ground.
Although the Wearside League team is unlikely to gain promotion this season, work has started on the Boldon Colliery Welfare ground to make sure it meets Northern League standards if the ambitious side does go up next year.
Work has now started on the 25,000 project to build floodlights at the ground to bring it up to standard.
Club chairman Kevin Oliver today thanked South Tyneside Council bosses for a 10,000 contribution to the project.
He said: "We were delighted and grateful to receive these grants which have enabled us to get the floodlight columns up.
The next stage is to raise the required funds we need to make the floodlights operational.
"The forum's support is invaluable in this, and keeps on course our ambition of getting into the Northern League in the next two years.
"I would also like to thank all of the volunteers who are helping us with our improvement works."
The money was donated by the Boldon, Cleadon and Whitburn community area forum fund.
The club's floodlights fundraising drive also benefited from a 2,000 donation from Moira Bartram, daughter of Charlton Athletic legend Sam Bartram.
The goalkeeper was playing for the club when Charlton Athletic signed him in 1934.
He went on to appear in a club-record 623 games over 22 years, including an FA Cup Final win in 1947. He died in 1981, aged 67.
In addition to the floodlights, the club has completed work on its changing rooms, hard standing areas around the pitch, and is looking to build a stand.
Ward councillor Alison Strike said: "This football club has a long and proud history, and is an important part of the community.
"The club has been playing in the Wearside League for many years, but is looking to progress up the pyramid into the Northern League for the first time in its history.
"For the club to achieve that, they need to bring the ground up to the required standard off the field, and then secure promotion on it."
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Weather for South Shields
Saturday 11 February 2012
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Temperature: 2 C to 4 C
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