On the pitch, the club may have lost at the weekend but off the pitch they were winners as the camaraderie and atmosphere at the bar post-match against Sporting Academics showed the importance of community spirit in grass-roots football.
The newly refurbished clubhouse and bar – named after Bob Richardson, a long-serving former secretary of the club – comes from years of planning and a desire to reinvigorate community spirit in the local game.
Richard Noel, Grouville FC president, said the club had wanted to improve its facilities ‘for some time’ but 2020 in particular provided them with a unique opportunity to do so.
‘Covid-19 has in the weirdest way benefited us as a club because many people were out of work during lockdown and had the spare time to give us an extra set of hands, which meant we had the necessary firepower to get the project going and get it finished.’
The new facilities feature a set of refurbished home and away dressing rooms, a fully operational bar and terrace and VIP area.
Noel said the new facilities aimed to set foundations for the future and give an
extra community value to the club and
parish.
‘As much as it is about football, it is also about community.
‘We want people from all walks of life to be able to come and enjoy the bar and have a drink, socialise, watch local football on the pitch or premier-league games on the TV.’
Noel said this was ‘just the start’ and the club would be looking to further improve on their facilities in the future, which he said was specifically important for their junior players.
‘This is has really been done for the younger players, as they are the future. People see the family environment and the welcoming atmosphere up here and the quality of our facilities and it is going to encourage people to want to come and play football, which can only be a good thing for the sport.’
Alan Devy had a major hand in the project and is now in charge of facility maintenance. He was keen to emphasise the hard work a number of people from the club had put in to make the project happen.
‘As the saying goes, where there is a will there is a way. This project is the result of a core team of people coming together and making this happen through their hard work and dedication.
‘It is amazing what can be achieved when you have a group of like-minded people and the support of various local businesses to put something together.’
He added: ‘You can see it here for yourself today.
‘The atmosphere is amazing and both teams are socialising post-match, as well as other Grouville families and players from various ages. It really makes all that hard work worth it.’
The bar is open on Saturdays and Sundays from midday, and Devy has encouraged anyone to come down and experience their new venture.
‘Since we have opened the new clubhouse the signs have been really encouraging. We open the bar before any of the Grouville games start and we have had plenty of non-footballing locals just pop in for a pint and a chat, which is the exact sort of thing we would love to see more of.’
Both Devy and Noel wanted to give an extended thank-you to all their sponsors and the parish of Grouville for their support and helping to make the project come to life.
