FOOTBALL


Colliers Park


Mission to mine rich vein of Welsh talent


A training ground in Wrexham has been transformed into a high- end football hub for the Welsh national squads and grassroots game, reports Greg Rhodes


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ighty-five years ago, one of the world’s worst coalmining disasters overtook the Gresford mine, near Wrexham, North Wales. On 22nd September this


year, a solemn ceremony commemorated the anniversary of the tragedy, followed by the official opening of a symbol of the region’s rebirth - the £5m National Football Development Centre of the Football Association of Wales (FAW). FAW chief executive Jonathan Ford spoke passionately of the quality and accessibility of the facility for training elite footballers and enabling the grassroots game to thrive locally.


In the run-up to official unveiling, Colliers


Park pitches have come under the care of grounds maintenance manager Dylan Thompson, after the site had been handed over to The Football Association of Wales, managed by the FAW Trust.


Dylan, 23, realises the importance of the position he holds. “This is a great opportunity for me, at my age,” he states. “I suppose it is reward for all the hard work and dedication - the will to put the graft in pays off.”


With already several years’ turf care


experience behind him, Dylan is well- prepared for running the high-profile facility. He entered the industry whilst still at school,


gaining two weeks’ work experience at Doncaster Rovers FC in 2011 - divoting, cutting, marking out, putting out frost covers and clearing snow,” he recalls. “I completed my Level 2 in 2012-2013 before attending Askham Bryan college for my Level 3 horticulture six months later at the start of February. After two months employment at Rovers, I left to join Sheffield Wednesday,” he continues, “where I completed my Level 3 sports turf management for two years whilst a full-time member of staff.” After three years as assistant, Dylan departed for a grounds maintenance supervisor post at Country Wide


PC October/November 2019


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