Wood Chairman Danny Hunter updated supporters and club staff alike at the club’s annual pre season Q and A.
Hunter spoke about the on-site summer works, personally gave supporters a site tour and spoke about completion dates for the new training facility, stadium pitch, floodlights, dugouts and car park.
Hunter said: “On the football side of things, the club is getting ever closer to completing the new pitch, and to welcoming our friends from Luton Town and Arsenal in the up-coming home pre-season games.
“We are also now very, very close to completing the training facility and car park expansion as well, albeit a couple of weeks late, but it has still been done in an incredibly difficult timeframe.
“In truth, it has been a summer of real headache’s and problems for me to solve, as well as a number of obstacles for the staff to overcome.
“That said, when you are creating something as special as we are for our community, our youngsters and our players, there are bound to be a few hurdles to overcome.
“We still have a few things to put to bed this week, including the practical testing of the Astro pitch, the park being put back and the grass reseeding.
“As well as the lining of the car park and completion of the net fence system around the top of our 4G pitch fence line.
“I am now very confident, after all of the sleepless nights, that we will complete most of this on-schedule and within the next 10 days.
“This will mean that when Luton and Arsenal do come to town and when we hold our summer youth tournaments, that the whole site will be complete for them.”
The Chairman also confirmed that the brand-new 4G pitch and training facility that the club have built over the summer, will be officially opened with a fixture against Barnet Football Club on Monday, July 31.
He revealed: “We will officially open the 4G pitch by playing a competitive first team game against our friends from Barnet Football Club, who will provide an under 23 side with more than a few of their first team squad playing.
“The game will be part of a community evening, it will be completely free of charge and, as it will be in the summer holidays, will be a night for the kids.
“It will allow them to get involved on the night, view the whole facility and take in the game. The match has now been confirmed for Monday, July 31, with an earlier than normal 7pm kick off.”
The Wood Chairman concluded by telling supporters: “In the meantime, I can tell you that our new Desso match-day pitch not only looks a million dollars, but has probably cost that much as well. “The new dugouts installed are pretty damn amazing as they are of premier league standard. While, the new LED 500 lux floodlights will be installed on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of next week and will illuminate our new facility beautifully.
“We have worked alongside our on-site contractors and have all endeavoured to complete each part of the overall project within a 10-week time frame.
“We have all endeavoured to minimise any disruption to our residents, to our facility hirers and to our function attendee’s, and in the main, I think we have achieved that.
“My day-to-day staff, our friends at Arsenal and the football foundation have also been incredible in helping me achieve this.
“While our main facility contractors, in this instance; Hewitt’s sports turf, S and C Slatters, Muscat lighting, MM dugouts and Lee brothers have all been incredible collaborators. They have all gone the extra mile and have helped to achieve what was an impossible schedule.”
