A MAJOR refurbishment project at Bromsgrove Sporting Football Club's ground has been officially opened.

The substantial improvements to The Rouslers' Victoria Ground, in Birmingham Road, have been funded through a £100,000 grant from the Premier League, through the Football Stadia Improvement Fund, (FSIF).

A funding grant of £50,000 also came from Budweiser Club Futures, with all the funds raised being used to make substantial improvements to the Birmingham Road-based ground.

Sajid Javid, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, who has served as MP for the past five years, officially opened the club's revamped bar, and the ground's new floodlights ahead of the last home game.

Mr Javid was joined by John Ruck, the district council's civic head, Nichola Trigg, chief executive of Worcestershire FA, and parliamentary candidates Tom Ebbutt, Bart Ricketts and Esposito Giovanni.

As well as the floodlighting and bar refurbishment, the ground has been installed with new showers, improvements to insulation and window fittings, car park resurfacing and plant storage ages.

Disabled parking provision and wheelchair accessibility have also been improved as part of the project.

The work was necessary to meet requirements of step 6 of the FA National Ground Grading Criteria, which will help to ensure the club can remain financially sustainable over the coming years.

Mr Javid said: "The new facilities will be an excellent resource for the club, enabling them to remain financially sustainable in the future.

"It’s great to see money from the top of the game being invested into supporting the growth of amateur clubs.

"Everyone involved in the project from Bromsgrove Sporting FC, Worcester FA and FSIF, deserve huge credit for what they’ve helped to achieve and I look forward to watching the club go from strength to strength over the coming years thanks to these excellent facilities.”

The Midland Division One outfit have had an excellent season under manager Paul Smith, breaking records and recently sealing a top two finish.

John Teece, chairman of Bromsgrove Sporting FC, said: "The new facilities will not only benefit football at the Victoria Ground but the wider community of Bromsgrove.

“The Victoria Ground has been Bromsgrove's centre of football for well over 100 years. We are proud to have been able to make these much needed improvements. I am sure the benefactors who gifted the ground to the town would have been proud.”

Peter McCormick OBE, chairman of the Football Stadia Improvement Fund, said: “The Premier League, through the FSIF, has invested heavily into Bromsgrove Sporting FC and it is great to see that the ground improvement works are now complete."