Leek Town have received grant funding from the Premier League Stadium Fund and Staffordshire Moorlands District Council towards the Redevelopment of the Grace Street Stand at the F Ball Community Stadium in Leek, including new toilet facilities and disabled seating.

The Premier League Stadium Fund provides grants to help improve facilities of football grounds in the Men’s National League System and Women’s Football Pyramid. It awards funding to clubs improve safety, and financial and environmental sustainability. This often also enables clubs to satisfy the necessary ground-grading criteria for promotion or to comply with their league’s requirements.

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council will also provide funding through a Disabled Facilities Grant and specifically the Community Adaption Grant to improve the accessibility of the Grace Street Stand.

Grants enable clubs to invest in projects to develop many aspects of their grounds, including the ongoing improvements required for stadiums to meet the requirements of the league that clubs play in. These improvements range from new football stands and turnstiles to floodlighting and improved provision for disabled supporters.

Since 2000, more than £207 million has been awarded through the fund to over 1,000 clubs. This has supported new or improved stands, turnstiles, clubhouses, floodlights and more.

The combined grant of awarded to will enable the club, who compete in the Pitching In Northern Premier League at Step 3, to redevelop the Grace Street Stand including the toilet facilities, hospitality area and new accessible seating.

This will replace the existing toilet & hospitality facilities which since the installation of the 3g surface in 2021 and are no longer fit for purpose.

The new facilities will improve the supporter experience and specifically provide an accessible area for disabled and less abled supporters including toilets, hospitality and low level seating.

Jon Eeles, Chairman, Leek Town, said: “The announcement of the grant comes after much hard work by all parties, and is another modest but significant moment for the Club and local community."

”The existing facilities in Grace Street were no longer fit for purpose, the redevelopment will improve the experience for all users as well as providing accessible seating and toilets for our disabled and less abled supporters.”

Nick Perchard, Premier League Director of Community, said: “The Premier League Stadium Fund has provided more than £207 million into developing stadiums and facilities for over 1,000 clubs in the EFL, National League System and Women’s Football Pyramid. The funding helps to improve the playing and spectator experience across the country, enhancing safety and comfort for players and fans alike and helping to deliver a higher-quality game across the leagues. I’m delighted it will be used to support Leek Town in the redevelopment of the Grace Street Stand. I have no doubt it will have a positive impact not just on the club, but on the local community too.”

Councillor Matt Swindlehurst, Cabinet member for Leisure and Tourism, said: “This is a really good example of what we can achieve if we all work together! The new accessible access and facilities will be a welcome addition to the Grace Street Stand at Leek Town and will make the experience of supporting our local team positive for all.”