Liversedge committee apply for Sport England grant

The club have had to prove they benefit the community and with Clayborn used to stage a host of local league finals and representative games, they are hopeful of receiving the grant.

Committee member Dan Cooper said: “A decision from Sport England is due in the next couple of days to see if we will be given a grant to put towards the drainage of the ground.

“Even if we do get the grant, that is specifically for the pitch. We still need to be playing home games to bring in revenue.

“The pitch has got so wet it is now just holding and retaining water.

“If we can get the drainage sorted it would benefit the whole community as we would be able to stage the prestigious local cup finals and we are one of very few floodlit pitches in the whole area.”

Liversedge were hoping to stage soccer schools for local children over Easter, while the club’s chairman, former Leeds United, Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United player Leigh Bromby had hoped to attract a glamour club to play at Clayborn.

Cooper added: “Although we didn’t want to ask Leigh directly for help, he has contacts with the professional clubs he played at and was willing to try and arrange a friendly with an Under-21s side.”

Former Liversedge player Cooper is also confident the team can pull clear of danger, adding: “Points in the bag is so important as you are not guaranteed to win games in hand.

“We have never been relegated since the inception of the Northern Counties East League, which is something we are very proud of.

“We have flirted with relegation a few times but we really feel that we are a mid-table club with a massive catchment area.”

Liversedge will hope their annual dinner will provide some much needed revenue.

Former Liverpool and England player Peter Beardsley is guest speaker and tickets, priced £35 each or £300 for a table of 10, are available from John Hewitt on 07892 363209.