‘We’re Going National’
Over the past few years, our 1st Team have never been far from the top of their league table, three times winning it and runners up as many times! The opportunity to enter into the heights of the Western League has been there most years, but it has sadly been the constraints of our grounds that have prevented this opportunity from being taken. The work, time, cost and commitment to begin and complete the process of increasing the ground-grading level is an extraordinary task to undertake, but the time has now come where we feel it is right to make that commitment and progress the team and club to the next level.
Currently, the 1st Team play at Feeder League level (originally Step 7) and the promotion to Step 6 (Western League in our case) of the National League System (NLS) requires not only a formal application within a deadline, but a ground accreditation at Grade 7 before that application can even be made.
What does this mean for us?
We need to meet the accreditation criteria for ground grading level 7 (or have begun work) before an application for promotion to Step 6 can be made. Unfortunately, this level of grading must be entirely self-funded and the works completed before 31st March 2026.
The key items required for Grade 7 are:
- Covered standing accommodation for up to 50 people.
- Hard standing of at least .9m for the full length of at least two interconnected sides of the adult pitch.
- Turnstile (or lockable paybox) with cashier protection.
The remaining requirements are met with our current provision or easily accomplishable with adaptation of the current facilities. The process of applying for Step 6 can begin between November 1st and December 31st of this year.
The principal requirement for Step 6 ground grading is the inclusion of floodlights. We secured planning permission for these some time ago, although the siting of the cricket boundary and ‘square’ have presented constraints in terms of placement. However, following lengthy consultations with floodlighting specialists we are delighted to have learnt that asymmetrically placed floodlights can overcome these constraints whilst meeting the FA lux requirements.
For those of you associated and familiar with the youth football pathway at Chilcompton Sports, it has long been a disappointment that this pathway has concluded at U16 level, as, apart from adult football, there has not been the opportunity to provide the facilities for football at an U18 level. This, however, will be overcome with the ground grading required at Step 6, where the floodlights will enable the introduction of a team in the U18s Floodlit League, and complete the pathway from youth to adult football as well as provide coach progression. We think you’ll all agree that this will be a huge benefit to the entire Chilcompton Sport football set-up.
To date we have undertaken several meetings with relevant stake-holders with more due to take place in the coming weeks. This project is very much alive and growing by the day.
The journey ‘We’re Going National’ has begun!
If there is anything you believe you can bring to the table, be it help, donations, sponsorship, guidance, hard graft or future involvement, please email us; we would love to hear from you and any help will be gratefully received!
We will keep you notified of any developments.
Sue and Hayley