Swans link with university for sports facility

Swans boss Michael Laudrup and Swansea University Vice Chancellor Professor Richard B Davies.

Top flight training ground for sports stars and students

Today’s and tomorrow’s Swansea football stars will soon be able to train at Premier League-standard facilities, following an agreement between the University and the Swans, unveiled today at the Liberty Stadium.

Under the deal, the University-owned Fairwood playing fields will be leased to the Swans to transform the site into a jointly-used modern training facility that will provide a base for competitive fixtures and training for University teams.

Once completed, the training ground will include:

• 8 full-size pitches, including 2 all-weather pitches
• Dedicated training pitch for the Swans squad, plus their own changing facilities in a refurbished Pavilion
• Additional buildings including further changing facilities, offices, seminar rooms and specialist medical and physiotherapy rooms

It is hoped that the first pitches could be open as early as October, with the rest of the facility being built in phases over the next 12-18 months.

Swansea City Chairman Huw Jenkins said: "We are delighted to join forces with Swansea University on this exciting project.

Our aim as a football club has always been to develop a top-flight training facility, but also to develop a good working relationship with like-minded organisations and people.

Swansea City and Swansea University will work together to enhance the sporting facilities at Fairwood that will form part of the fabric of the city for many years to come. This project is one we can all be proud of.’’

Swansea University Pro Vice Chancellor Professor Noel Thompson said: "This deal represents a major addition to the sports facility offering of the University, providing our football teams with Premier League-standard pitches.

I hope that today’s agreement will lead to other opportunities for co-operation between the University and the Swans; in particular in relation to the considerable expertise we have in sports science and sports medicine.”

University Vice Chancellor Professor Richard B Davies added: "At Swansea University we are serious about sporting success. We have already invested £20 million in our Sports Village. We partner the City and County of Swansea in supporting the Welsh National Pool and, with Bay Leisure, will be running 360, the new Watersports Centre near St Helens. And after welcoming the Olympic torch, we are now looking forward to hosting paralympic athletes.

We want to be able to offer our students an outstanding sporting experience with facilities fit for the 21st century. Today’s agreement is a big step forward to help us achieve that and it is a particular delight and privilege to collaborate with a Football Club whose success has put Swansea on the global map.”

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