The ribbon has officially been cut on the newly refurbished Wednesbury Hub, formerly the Friar Park Hub, thanks to a £1.1 m cash injection from the Premier League, The FA and the Football Foundation
Originally opened in 2011, the small-sided 3G pitches, gym and community pavilion at this site had fallen into disrepair – severely limiting their use by the local community.
Now, thanks to grant funding from the Football Foundation alongside additional investment from Sandwell Council, the site has been transformed into a vibrant, inclusive Hub for sport, fitness, and community activity.
Works included:
- Refurbishment of existing pitches to provide a total of seven small-sided 3G surfaces.
- Replacement of 23 sets of floodlights with energy-efficient LED units.
- New equipment, flooring and decoration for the gym
- New energy efficient boilers and LED lighting throughout the pavilion and refurbishment of the community cafe.
Jack Matthews, Director of Programmes and Support & Impact at the Football Foundation, said:
“The Wednesbury Hub is one of 29 Football Foundation Hubs we’ve invested in across the country, thanks to the funding we receive from the Premier League, The FA and Government via Sport England.
“Every community deserves a great place to play, so I’m delighted that the people of Sandwell now have access to quality, safe and welcoming facilities at this site.
“Not only will this project provide a boost to sport locally, but it’ll also create a space for the local community to come together and be active.”
The revamped facilities are already being used by 16 local grassroots junior football clubs and is supporting recreational football with daily pay and play sessions. In the next 12 months, the Hub is expected to support the creation of more than a dozen new women’s and girls’ football teams using the site. From November, the Hub will be used each Sunday morning for matches by 32 mini-soccer teams of Walsall Junior Youth Football League
As well as match play, the pitches will be used for several community programmes, including Premier League Kicks session delivered by The Albion Foundation, walking football sessions delivered by Leisure United, SEND sessions delivered by local schools High Point Academy and Elm Tree Primary Academy, and a pan disability league.
The Hub will also host Centre Spot CIC, which delivers inclusive activities such as free youth sessions, holiday camps, and structured football clubs for children not currently part of a team.
The site will be operated by the charity, Leisure United on behalf of the National Football Trust, who will re-invest any surplus income generated back into grassroots sport locally.
Mark Coulson, Leisure United Chief Executive Officer, said:
“We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Premier League, The FA, and the Government’s Football Foundation for their generous £1.1 million investment, as well as to Sandwell Borough Council for their crucial £250,000 contribution. In August 2022, Leisure United stepped in to keep this important community facility open while working to secure its long-term future. Thanks to this collective commitment, the future of this much-loved local asset is now secure.
We are also deeply grateful to Phoenix Collegiate for placing their trust in Leisure United to operate the site—a trust we value immensely and are fully committed to honouring by unlocking the full potential of this facility for years to come.
Additionally, I want to acknowledge the dedication of the Leisure United team here in Wednesbury, who went above and beyond during the refurbishment, along with our long-standing partner club Bustleholme, the Walsall League—which will be hosting its central venue league here every Sunday—and both Birmingham FA and The Albion Foundation. It is this spirit of community that will be key to the ongoing success of this vibrant community hub.”
Sandwell Council invested an additional £250k of public health grant monies into the project to provide a coordinated programme of affordable, and sustainable health-promoting programmes for the people of Wednesbury.
The new Hub is on the former site of Phoenix Collegiate, who played a key role in developing the project. The school’s headteacher, Mike Smith, said:
“In 2022, myself and the school took a backlash from the community when the unviable Pulse soccer centre closed with little notice. Very quickly Leisure United began a relationship with the school and it demonstrates the power of partnership in addressing community needs and fostering sustainable opportunities for sports and recreation.
“My thanks go to both the schools governing body and the team at Leisure United that has stayed strong in challenging times over the past couple of years, working tirelessly to ensure a community facility has now been secured for the next 25 years. We look forward to the partnership growing even closer as we start work on our own 3G pitch in November at our Clarkes Lane site.”
Sandwell’s Cabinet Member for Adult services, Health and Welbeing, Councillor Jackie Taylor, said:
“This is a fantastic example of how partnership working can transform lives. The Wednesbury Hub is not just a sports facility—it’s a place where people come together, get active, and feel part of something. It’s a huge win for community health and wellbeing.”
Councillor Peter Hughes, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Infrastructure, said:
“This investment is part of a much wider regeneration story for Wednesbury and Sandwell. With over £1.2 billion worth of projects completed or underway—including Friar Park Urban Village, Tamebridge View, town centre improvements, and enhanced community safety measures like CCTV—this Hub is another milestone in making Wednesbury a vibrant, inclusive, and forward-looking town.”
ENDS
For more information, please contact: Liam Hanson at liam.hanson@footballfoundation.org.uk or 07513 710 707.
Notes to editors
About the Football Foundation
The Football Foundation is the Premier League, The FA and Government’s charity that delivers outstanding grassroots facilities, more and better places to play, transforming lives and communities where it is needed most.
The Foundation’s goal is to unlock the power of pitches ensuring everyone has a great place to play regardless of gender, race, disability or place.
Since its creation in 2000, the Foundation has £1.3 billion to improve grassroots facilities across the country – including 1,300 3G pitches, 15,000 grass pitches and 1,700 changing rooms. This has attracted an additional £1.5 billion of partnership funding – totalling over £2.7 billion investment in grassroots football so far.
In partnership with local authorities, County FAs and other community stakeholders, the Foundation has created Local Football Facility Plans for every local authority in England. These Plans act as a blueprint for providing the grassroots football facility improvements that each community needs and deserves across the country.
Visit footballfoundation.org.uk for more information on the Foundation and view the Plan for your local area.
Further information Sandwell Council’s plans for leisure and sport
The launch of the Wednesbury Hub complements the wider Black Country Move Together campaign, which encourages residents across the region to get active in ways that suit their lifestyle. The campaign promotes physical activity as a way to improve wellbeing, reduce isolation, and build stronger communities—values that align closely with the Leisure United hub.
Residents can also take advantage of Sandwell Leisure Trust’s wide range of affordable health and fitness activities, including gym memberships, swimming, group exercise classes, and wellbeing programmes—available at leisure centres across the borough. Find out more at: Home | Swimming, Gym & Fitness | Sandwell Leisure Trust