New Training Ground

[TVC15]

I was at the new training ground today for a tour.
SD did a presentation followed up by a really good Q&A. He then showed us round the facilities.

SD was so impressive. The facilities are incredible.

The main training pitch cost a million to lay. The changing rooms are the size of a small hotel ! Everything about the place is so impressive.

What SD has done on and off the pitch for the club is remarkable. I am sure he will move on to bigger things at some point in the future - but he has given many of us the best side we have seen in our lifetimes and a real legacy in the training ground.

It's hard to think of how any manager could have as big as an impact as SD....so we should all enjoy him and enjoy these times whilst we have them.

[jdrobbo]

Great post!

[TVC15]

Great post!

The other thing that was really noticeable is how friendly everybody at the training ground was. Lots of the coaching and other staff were all there working and they would pass you in the corridor and acknowledge you - including Ian Woan.

They were all so respectful and polite and I am 100% sure that this is down to SD and the culture he has instilled in the club. Compare this to someone like Jason Tindall, Coterill and even miserable Stan T.

Anyone who has not seen SD speak then would highly recommend it - very engaging, articulate, funny and honest.

[Burnleyareback2]

Thank you for sharing, it's a news for our club.

Let's see how long this will take for a negative comment

[ClaretTony]

Won't get a negative comment from me. Sean Dyche, Ian Woan and Tony Laughlan are always respectful and polite, always make you feel welcome. Couldn't agree more with the description of our manager.

Steve Cotterill I got on with very well but I know others didn't, Stan could be hard work at times but then he could also be really good company. I never found Jason Tindall particularly pleasant to be honest.

[bodge]

The manager sets the standards, not just on the pitch but off it as well.

Really impressive individual, he's transformed our club.

He will also show once the budget increases that he's capable of putting a side together with ability rather than organisation being more to the fore.

The facilities will help him and the club develop further.

[claretdj]

Why hasn't there been a grand opening day? with all of sky sports/bbc lancs/Burnley express getting a full tour & then getting it all out there for the fans/world to see? With the money invested in the new facilities I would of thought it would of been publized by the hierarchy a lot more than it has been. utc!

[TVC15]

Why hasn't there been a grand opening day? with all of sky sports/bbc lancs/Burnley express getting a full tour & then getting it all out there for the fans/world to see? With the money invested in the new facilities I would of thought it would of been publized by the hierarchy a lot more than it has been. utc!

It's not fully finished yet.
Think there could be something for the public in the summer from what SD was saying today.

[claretdj]

Nice 1 then tvc! Sounds like u had a good time.. How did u manage to get a tour though?

[TVC15]

Nice 1 then tvc! Sounds like u had a good time.. How did u manage to get a tour though?

I snuck in dressed as Steve McLaren with my "hair island".

If you don't understand that then watch bob mortimers podcasts - they are brilliant !!

[bodge]

What are they still finishing off TVC15 ?

If there is a tour in the summer i'll be on it and i'm sure there would be a load of interest.

[Walt]

Landscaping i thought. Whilst minimal in the grand scheme of the overall build from what I've seen it still looks a bit rough around the edges and once that's done it will look first class.

[TVC15]

What are they still finishing off TVC15 ?

If there is a tour in the summer i'll be on it and i'm sure there would be a load of interest.

Yes its mainly the landscaping around the river - its a big stretch of land so could take a while.

SD said that the main pitch won`t be ready for playing on until pre-season - though you could not tell from looking at it as it was immaculate.
SD was pointing to a few of the other pitches and saying how much they cost...£350k ; £500k ; £650k etc.

The inside is finished. The 3/4 size pitch was being used by the coaches who were playing head tennis. SD said the first team players won`t use this as its easy to pick up injuries on the surface.

The main training pitch has under ground heating - and is exactly the size of the Turf Moor pitch. All the "adult" pitches have been built to the same size as Turf Moor.

Another interesting thing is the placement of the pitches - the furthest one away is for the youngest age groups and the other pitches are in order of the teams as you get closer to the first team / main pitch which is directly outside the main building. This is all been designed with the input of SD. Its the same inside with the youth team changing rooms and dining rooms smaller and separate to the first team. SD talked about the younger players having to earn their place in the club and being respectful of the hiearchy of the first team squad. He said the youth team players can`t go around the place calling the first team players by their nickname like "ok Keano" !!

So whilst SD seems to be instilling some good old fashioned discipline and respect type values the whole place and atmosphere felt anything but stuffy or old fashioned as he seems to have the perfect balance between these and all the modern techniques.

In terms of attracting new players this place will be a big factor. SD said he thinks players will be very surprised when they see the quality of the facilities. He also said that he will not take them to Turf Moor - it will all be done at the training ground.

Really hope they have an open day so more fans can see this. In the meantime pick a sunny day and walk down to Gawthorpe - you can`t get past the bridge now and won`t be able to look inside but you should still be able to see the pitches and sheer size of everything.

I`m sure I read somewhere that its more than 70 acres which is 30 acres more than Blackburn`s Brockhall training ground. I`d be surprised if our training facilities were`t in the top dozen best in the country now.

[Noble Peter]

I had the great honour of making and supplying all the seats for all the dressing rooms down at gawthorpe ,I was like a kid in a sweet shop working down there ,when they filmed the video they asked us to keep the staple guns quiet so we sat in the corner of the first team dressing room just in shot ,my business partner at the time is a ******* fan so I kept him away.

[Dyched]

Sounds very impressive.

What's with the indoor pitch? Easy to cause injuries?! Seems very odd to me

[mybloodisclaret]

Sounds very impressive.

What's with the indoor pitch? Easy to cause injuries?! Seems very odd to me

I was thinking that?? Is it there for show?

[mybloodisclaret]

Yes its mainly the landscaping around the river - its a big stretch of land so could take a while.

SD said that the main pitch won`t be ready for playing on until pre-season - though you could not tell from looking at it as it was immaculate.
SD was pointing to a few of the other pitches and saying how much they cost...£350k ; £500k ; £650k etc.

The inside is finished. The 3/4 size pitch was being used by the coaches who were playing head tennis. SD said the first team players won`t use this as its easy to pick up injuries on the surface.

The main training pitch has under ground heating - and is exactly the size of the Turf Moor pitch. All the "adult" pitches have been built to the same size as Turf Moor.

Another interesting thing is the placement of the pitches - the furthest one away is for the youngest age groups and the other pitches are in order of the teams as you get closer to the first team / main pitch which is directly outside the main building. This is all been designed with the input of SD. Its the same inside with the youth team changing rooms and dining rooms smaller and separate to the first team. SD talked about the younger players having to earn their place in the club and being respectful of the hiearchy of the first team squad. He said the youth team players can`t go around the place calling the first team players by their nickname like "ok Keano" !!

So whilst SD seems to be instilling some good old fashioned discipline and respect type values the whole place and atmosphere felt anything but stuffy or old fashioned as he seems to have the perfect balance between these and all the modern techniques.

In terms of attracting new players this place will be a big factor. SD said he thinks players will be very surprised when they see the quality of the facilities. He also said that he will not take them to Turf Moor - it will all be done at the training ground.

Really hope they have an open day so more fans can see this. In the meantime pick a sunny day and walk down to Gawthorpe - you can`t get past the bridge now and won`t be able to look inside but you should still be able to see the pitches and sheer size of everything.

I`m sure I read somewhere that its more than 70 acres which is 30 acres more than Blackburn`s Brockhall training ground. I`d be surprised if our training facilities were`t in the top dozen best in the country now.

Makes perfect sense taking new signings to Gawthrope to showcase infrastructure of our club. I know we all love the Turf and how traditional it is, but it would be easy to see how some top end (I mean Premier League quality) players and agents could be turned off by Turf Moor.

[TVC15]

Sounds very impressive.

What's with the indoor pitch? Easy to cause injuries?! Seems very odd to me

You need the indoor pitch for the Academy status. You get a different status dependent on the size you build. There are other requirements the club needs to meet aswell in terms of the various status and I read on this forum I think that the reason we did not build the full size one was not to do with cost but it was in relation to the requirements when you get the highest level of academy status being much more than the level we have decided we wanted.

The 3G indoor pitches are very easy to jar ankles etc and also have less give than grass so not great for players who have had knee problems etc.

[LAM]

Great thread.

SD's comments don't read like a man leaving anytime soon either.

[burnley007]

It's so uplifting to read any behind the scenes stuff. It really does bode well for the future...I can't wait to see how far this management team can take us.

[karatekid]

Any news on a potential open day?

[ClaretTony]

Any news on a potential open day?

Don't think an open day will be possible. There are restrictions on the site, part of the agreement with National Trust & Gawthorpe Hall.

[Rick_Muller]

Don't think an open day will be possible. There are restrictions on the site, part of the agreement with National Trust & Gawthorpe Hall.

I'm a member of the National Trust - can I visit?

[ClaretTony]

I'm a member of the National Trust - can I visit?

Not on National Trust land but is next door and shares the approach via the drive from Burnley Road.

Sorry Rick_Muller, it won't get you in.

[karatekid]

Shame. I hope sky decide to do an article on it and send a camera crew round there. I think the progress our club has made should be documented and shown to the rest of the footballing world. Would make for good publicity.