A FOOTBALL club is celebrating after a £320,000 grant means they can finally build a new clubhouse.

The Broomfield FC clubhouse was targeted by arsonists in May 2014, leaving the team without a base but now, the Premier League and The FA Facilities Fund has awarded the club a £319,048 grant to rebuild the facility.

The project has been praised by West Ham United Foundation, which hopes to continue supporting the football club, which runs sixteen junior and youth teams and four adult teams, once completed.

Sean McGinley, Chairman, Broomfield FC, said: “We are delighted to have the support of the Premier League & The FA Facilities Fund for this project.

"We have not had a purpose built clubhouse since the club started in 1905 and this project will transform the future of the club.

"It will provide us with a much needed focal point and means to raise additional income to meet our growth expectations and joint goals of improving coaching qualifications and training facilities, thereby improving grassroots football in the area.”

The new facility will provide four segregated changing rooms and shower facilities, two referees rooms with showers, a club room facility with bar and much-needed new kitchen facilities.

West Ham United Foundation hope to work with the club in the future, and have previously held Foundation Soccer Schools on site.

Joseph Lyons, Chief Executive, West Ham United Foundation, said: “I am pleased to hear the news about Broomfield FC’s grant for a new clubhouse.

"The development will have a significant impact on local grassroots football, and supports the forward thinking of the club committee and its members.

"West Ham United Foundation hope to work with the club, expanding football activity on site to enhance the development of both players and coaches at the grassroots level.

"We have previously hosted our Foundation Soccer Schools at the club, which have gone tremendously well.

"I would like to thank the Premier League and The FA Facilities Fund through the Football Foundation for their continued investment in projects like this. I look forward to seeing the works complete.”

The Premier League and The FA Facilities Fund is delivered by the Football Foundation, the country’s largest sports charity.

Since it was launched in 2000, the Foundation has supported more than 14,000 grassroots projects worth over £1.3 billion.

Paul Thorogood, Chief Executive of the Football Foundation, said: “Congratulations should go to Broomfield FC for working with Essex FA to secure this Premier League and The FA Facilities Fund grant.

"Since 2000, the Foundation has awarded 316 grants worth £19.5m across Essex towards grassroots sports projects worth nearly £48.1m with money generously provided by our funders: the Premier League, The FA and the Government, via Sport England.”