Gawthorpe set for investment

Last updated : 26 June 2008 By Tony Scholes

It will provide improved training facilities for all ages, from the youngest of those at the development centre right through to the first team. It will include a state of the art indoor facility allowing training to take place 365 days a year and there will also be new changing and coaching facilities for all the teams.

The planning application is due to be submitted towards the end of next month and it is hoped the proposals will be given the go ahead and it reinforces club's commitment to its youth development programme.

The club have confirmed that Brendan Flood's recent comments on youth development were misinterpreted and the shift to players age 16 and over will complement the sterling work already being done with younger players.

The links with the USA will be alongside already strong links we have in Toronto, Phoenix, Poland, Belfast as well as closer to home in Lancashire, Yorkshire, Manchester, Cheshire and North Wales.

Development Director Paul Fletcher said: "We are very much aware that a successful youth policy will be the lifeblood for the club in the years ahead.

"I recently spent a week in America with Barry Kilby and Brendan Flood and we talked for many hours about the importance of a successful youth policy, which will be helped by the £2 million investment in better facilities at Gawthorpe.

"I feel that Brendan's recent comments were taken out of context as he stated to me on a number of occasions that we must put in place a 'special strategy' for the 16 and over age group to ensure they are not ambushed by bigger clubs."