Sheffield football club's appeal for new venue

A Sheffield football team has asked council bosses to help secure a new venue for their matches.
Coun Mary LeaCoun Mary Lea
Coun Mary Lea

Burngreave Football Club handed in a 617 name petition to Sheffield Council after Powerleague, which operates five-a-side football pitches, said it was pulling out of the PITS site at Woodburn Road.

The chairman of the club, Mohammed Ali, said: 'This has been an excellent facility that helps young people from across Sheffield. Staff also run training sessions to keep young people off the streets and give them a positive way to channel their energy.

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'In terms of knife crime, activities that support young people should be supported not shut down. Traditionally youth clubs are outdated but hundreds of people attend our training sessions and you can decide which one is value for money.

'If we are really serious about challenging crime we should support this as there's very little to do for people from a disadvantaged community.'

Coun Mary Lea, Cabinet Member for Leisure, said the council was working to secure a long-term facility.

'We have been in discussions with Powerleague and we expect them to leave at the end of January.

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'This is a well used facility and it's very important to the city so we are looking at how to operate the centre while we find a more permanent solution.

'We do have a provider to operate PITS and that will give us an opportunity to give us some breathing space to find a more permanent solution.'