A youth football club is pleading with farmers to let it play on their land - because it hasn't got enough pitches for its 13 teams.

Silver End Youth Football Club has 140 players but only one muddy and over-used pitch.

Members plan to approach farmers in the area to see if they can buy or lease some more land to use as football pitches.

Club spokesman Ian Walker said the club also planned to approach the FA and Sports For All in the hope of qualifying for grant funding to help its expansion plans.

Mr Walker said: "The problem with growing at this rate is that the one pitch we have is no longer suitable for so many teams.

"Also in the village we have two men's teams which have to play on the pitch on a Saturday the only way we can resolve this is to go out and try to find some land of our own.

"We do a lot of fundraising, once we get our own land then we're in a position to go to Sports For All and the lottery and we would be in a better bargaining position to get grant money."

If you have a suggestion to help Silver End YFC call Mr Walker on 020 7825 3006.

More information on the club can be found on www.silverend-yfc.co.uk

Published Tuesday, January 14, 2003

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