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Winchester City Football Club and the University of Winchester have teamed up for a new partnership which should be a winner for both sides.
A three-year agreement was signed at the Winchester City’s home ground to the accompanying noise of heavy machinery hard at work on the new £1m 3g astroturf pitch, funded by the FA Foundation and Winchester City Council.
The redevelopment - which also includes new LED floodlighting, new and relocated stands, and re-surfacing of the parking area - has been designed to increase community use of the ground, which is also used by women’s team, Winchester City Flyers.
The University will be supporting City on and off the pitch.
Under the agreement the University will gain exposure across the region as the first team’s away shirt sponsor and will have promotional hoardings pitch side.
However, the main aim of the partnership is to widen participation in sport and higher education, with a particular focus on deprived communities.
Club chairman Kenneth Raisback said: “Finally seeing the astro pitch being constructed gives me huge delight after several years of hard work by a number of people. And whilst a lot is being said about the pitch, its more what it enables that excites me most.
“This partnership with the University is a great example of that and very much aligned with our ambition of using football as a vehicle to positively impact the local community. Its a genuine privilege to partner with the University and whilst we have many great initiatives planned, it is only the beginning of what i hope is a long and mutually beneficial relationship."
University of Winchester Pro Vice Chancellor, Sam Jones, said: “It is great to be teaming up with Winchester City to boost youth and community involvement in sports and higher education. This is a welcome collaboration that will really benefit the community and provide our students with valuable hands-on learning experiences.
Working with the club will also provide real-world experience for University of Winchester students. The University’s Faculty of Health and Wellbeing will carry out pre-season tests on players and each year there will be placements at the club for Physiotherapy and Sports and Exercise Science students.
Winchester City FC currently plays in the Southern League Premier Division South, the seventh tier of English football, after winning promotion in 2022.
City kick off the new season on 10 August, wearing their new University-sponsored blue and black away strip, at Marlow.
Supporters can buy the new shirt from the club shop from the end of September.
Work on the new pitch, funded by the FA Foundation and Winchester City Council, will overlap with the start of the season so the first two home games will be played at the club home to be on the new home turf by late August or early September.
Pictured top: Winchester FC chairman Ken Raisback and Sam Jones, Universitiy of Winchester Pro Vice- Chancellor with the club's new away shirt bearing the University logo. Photo by Dominic Parkes Photography.
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