Northampton football club has to find new home after school shuts pitch at weekends

Northampton Academy has a number of sports facilities on site, including a full sized and nine-a-side football pitch, used by several of the teams at Thorplands 81 Football Club.

But the Wellingborough Road school says it can no longer afford to allow clubs to use the pitches at weekends.

A statement from the school says: “We are very proud of ‎our track record as a school, whose facilities are used across the local community, and we are keen to ensure that football teams and other clubs continue to be able to use these.

“However, we need to ensure that we are able to cover our costs in such letting but, unfortunately, it is not possible to do so by having the school open at weekends or late at night when we incur significant additional costs.”

The school statement goes on to say it is not possible to “subsidise” the use of the facilities.

“We are still examining all the options,” it continues.

However it means Thorplands 81, which has been playing its matches both at the school and at Lings Wood, needs to find a new home by the new season in September.

Secretary of the club Colin Lee, said he was disappointed by the school’s decision.

He said: “We didn’t see this coming, it was based right in the middle of out catchment area.

“They have their reasons, but it’s disappointing for us, we had a good thing set up.”

Mr Lee said the club is looking at a patch of land at Round Spinney industrial estate as a possible permanent location. T

Talks are already progressing with he landowner Northampton Borough Council.