Groby Juniors Football Club

Why you should participate in the Groby Juniors consultation

November2025   Last year Groby Parish Council agreed to consider, in principle, the provision by Groby Juniors Football Club of a small building providing toilet and changing facilities on Parish land used by the Club. For many years the Club has lived with the problems which result from the lack of facilities, but this has been exacerbated by the increased popularity of girl’s football.

At the time two issues were raised in the Spotlight - does the village need improved facilities, and if it does where should they be placed? The current public consultation, running until the end of November, only seeks your views on whether facilities should be provided at the Groby Juniors preferred location, Stamford Park.

A questionnaire asks whether you would support a proposal to provide changing, toilet and kitchen facilities. It does not ask whether you would support the suggested position of the changing rooms, or the extra 40 parking spaces shown on the architect’s impression. Whilst the need for the changing rooms may be widely accepted, there has been no explanation of why the number of spaces at the two car parks needs to be increased to 113.

Those who respond may agree that there is a genuine need for the facilities planned, but a proportion may feel that they would be adversely affected by the site shown in the architect’s impression. Where on Stamford Park any changing rooms would be sited, if residents think they are needed, is not part of this consultation. Respondents can comment on any issues which do not form part of this consultation but are suggested, for example, by the architect’s impression, as these will need to be the subject of further discussion if the project is progressed.

Sometimes it seems as if it would be great if the world and environment as we know it today stayed the same. But things change - motorways and bypasses get busier and noisier, villages grow in size, schools, businesses and hospitals get bigger, people start driving earlier and drive until later in life. We have to accept change, but need those who benefit to acknowledge that when residents who believe they will be adversely affected ask for compromise and mitigation they are not being unreasonable.

Why is it important to complete the questionnaire?

Some residents argue that no more than a field is needed to play football. Others will say that this is true, but expectations have changed along with other aspects such as the safeguarding of young people. It is important that as many residents as possible participate in the consultation as decisions taken today could result in changes to the park which will be long lasting and difficult to reverse.

Our young people rely on their elders to provide facilities fit for the 21st century, so we return to the questions ‘do we need it?’ and if we do ‘where should we put it?’ This consultation asks whether we need changing facilities on Stamford Park. If the response from residents is that we do, and it is confirmed that there are no legal restrictions preventing such development, then the second question will need to be dealt with and agreement reached on the best way forward.

You can follow this link  link , or get a copy by ringing 0116 287 6985. The consultation ends on 30 November.

Groby Juniors 2024 Proposal - Is it time we had a plan for our parks?

November 2024  The Parish Council is faced with a difficult decision over whether or not changes should be made to one of Groby’s parks to accommodate the Groby Juniors Football Club. Many decisions members make are made with reference to a framework within which they work, for decisions about trees, lone working, disciplinary matters, health and safety, complaints, grievances and so much more. But when it comes to Parks there are few guidelines, there seems to be no long term plan for how we want the parks to develop.

It might be argued that over the decades the improvement of the parks has been piecemeal - perhaps we have some S106 cash from developers, so let's build a MUGA, create an outdoor gym, build a mini MUGA, have a BMX track, install some wooden play equipment, create a memorial rose garden, and now a zip wire. Although they all improve the facilities available, they appear to be a series of unconnected decisions, as there is nothing documenting a plan for our parks. It's a journey where no-one has defined the destination.

Most of these projects have been incremental, often improving the recreational facilities for young families. The Groby Juniors proposals are different. As the children grow too old for the play equipment they look for other forms of entertainment, and one of those is the healthy participation in the country’s favourite sport. Football.

This iphone generation may think it odd to hear that their grandfathers might have played football in the street, with a couple of cans serving as goalposts. They and their parents expect more, and Groby Juniors would like them to have more, and at some of the pitches the club uses locally they do have more. But not at Stamford Park. For decades they have just traded the street for a field, and the cans for real goalposts. If their team plays away they might find that their hosts have changing facilities or even refreshments. If their grandparents drive them to the match they may be pleased that there are toilet facilities available.

The football club has not set its aspirations very high, they just want to provide those facilities for boys and girls that other villages enjoy. It’s not the King Power Stadium, just a modest building and improved parking to respond to the complaints about street parking.

An important decision

Nevertheless this is an important decision. The Parish Council recently agreed to consider the proposal in principle, but did not approve either of the site examples proposed by Groby Juniors. This is probably a sensible decision, as once approval is given to a particular location, and the concrete starts to pour, any development will change the park for the foreseeable future, so it is important to get it right.

Making the case and finding the place

The Parish Council and Groby Juniors may have their own views on the best way to move things forward with a problem that seems to have two elements – does the village need improved facilities, and if it does where should they be placed?

The last comprehensive survey of what residents thought about recreational opportunities in the village was nearly 20 years ago when Cllr Martin Cartwright chaired the Parish Plan Project. Though many residents said that they played sport, 37% felt the sports facilities were poor and only four residents felt that the parish provided excellent facilities for sport.

In Groby and Field Head the children’s main sporting hobbies were reported as football, rugby, horse riding, cycling, BMX, and skate boarding. Sporting facilities that the younger generation said that they would like to have were a leisure centre, swimming pool, skate board park, BMX track and all weather courts for football and basket ball. Some of these have been provided, others are unaffordable.

About 62% of respondents felt that children up to age 5 were being catered for, but this dropped to 25% for 10 to 12 year olds and less than 10% for those aged 13 to 15.

Although with a virtually 50/50 split there was no consensus on whether the village should have a ‘sports pavilion’ the locations preferred were described as “Castell Playing Field, Marina Drive / Stamford Drive Playing Fields or at Groby Community College.”

A Long Term Parks Strategy

This is perhaps an opportunity to consider updating the information available and producing a Long Term Parks Strategy, and the primary use of each site, taking account of such things as accessibility and parking. Improving areas such as Butler’s Field and the QE park to respond to the needs of residents might increase the footfall, and so the first step could be to examine the current shortfall in facilities, how residents use all of our parks and how they would like to use them. A new facility may provide new opportunities, inspiring others to organise other sporting activities to share the benefits.

With regard to the football development it could also compare local facilities and charges with similarly sized parishes, taking into account whether the capital and running costs of the enhanced facilities had been financed by the Parish or, as is proposed in this instance, by the football club. It might also evaluate and respond to all the issues, comments and questions raised by residents.

It might be decided that the current proposal would be too disadvantageous to the rest of the users or, although in principle it seems a good idea, that a sufficiently strong case had not been made and nothing should be done.

Alternatively the conclusion could be that approval for upgraded facilities ought to be given, with a second step to examine where the development should be, and determining how any adverse effects identified by residents or other users might be minimised, as part of a long term plan.

Listening to the comments made by both sides of the debate at the meeting at which the Club outlined its initial proposals, I was left with the impression that it may not be possible to completely satisfy everyone. But at least it would have been treated as a community problem that needs to be resolved, and one that everyone needs input to in order to get the best result.

Groby Juniors 2021 proposal for Stamford Park

2021  If you’re a visitor to one of Groby’s parks you may have enjoyed seeing Groby Juniors football teams in action.  They have many teams and really appreciate the permission to play on the parks, as without it they would have struggled as a club to get all of their  games played.  At present the Under 7s and 8s play 5 x 5 on Beacon Fields, the 9s and 10s play 7 x 7 on Stamford Park, the 11s and 12s play 9x9 on Marina and the 13s – 15s play 11 a side on Quarry Park.

For years the club has searched for a suitable site that they could call ‘home,’ but without success so far, and this means that their facilitities are severely limited.  “At present the major obstacle that the club faces is that we have no toilet facilities or indeed anywhere where we can store the equipment that we use, goals, flags etc,” explained a spokesperson for the club. “Permission to place either a porta cabin or a container on either Stamford or Marina park would allow us to overcome these obstacles.  Our preference would be on Stamford Park, situated close by the Sycamore Drive car park,  as that is more centrally located and also has access to the larger car park.”

The request was discussed at the Parish Council Estates Committee meeting and members were told that following a site visit with the Chairman of the Club they felt that the request should be agreed in principle, subject to a more detailed proposal being acceptable to the Council.  A site just inside the entrance to Sycamore Drive car park was considered as it is not overlooked by any houses, doesn’t obstruct anybody’s views and has trees behind it.  The structure would include separate changing facilities for girls and boys and a chemical toilet.  It was thought that this position might enable utilities to be connected at some time in the future, and would also carry a reduced risk of vandalism because of its visibility.

It was suggested that neighbours should be consulted and no final decision taken until full details have been provided.  The Club believes that the proposed accommodation is vital to their success in expanding the club, especially with regard to girls football.  May 2021

Groby Juniors a key player in Community Hub proposal

In January John Caswell and Paul Chick, who represented The Groby Juniors Football Club, outlined the challenges the Club faces and their vision for the future at a meeting to consider the creation of a new Community Hub.

 It's a project that would be led by the Parish Council but still have Groby Junior's needs at its heart,whilst  also providing  community facilities, including perhaps a bowling green. Full details of the proposal  are available on the Parish Council website.  

At the meeting John and Paul didn't just talk about why the Club supports the initiative. They spoke enthusiastically about what they do and the philosophy of the club which has been established for many years and is well thought of in the football community.

Groby Juniors was formed in 2003, initially with 10 all male teams. It now has 7 girls teams and 16 boys teams. There's also an Academy focussing on fun and games for players too young for a team. These youngsters are supported by 29 Football Association qualified coaches and 42 adult volunteers. The club also runs 2 tournaments a year for teams from the county and also attracts teams from outside of the county. It runs a Girls only tournament which is held in high regard.

The club is organised on an amateur basis, and arranges for all coaches to attain the necessary coaching levels set out by the FA, for children to enjoy their football in a fun and safe environment. The philosophy is to enjoy, develop and succeed. The focus is on development of the players player's skill, physical, psychological and emotional growth, as well as focusing on a high level of team work.

An equal opportunities attitude means that no matter what the child's skill level there is place for them within the club, no-one is turned away. The club's ethos of focusing on "kids enjoying football" has resulted in an increase in player numbers and a bi-product is that the club has teams that play at different skill levels within each age range. Not all clubs work this way, some are more focused on winning and encourage players to look for pastures new if they do not meet their minimum standard. At the other end of the scale some players move to Groby Juniors if they feel they have outgrown their existing club.

Expansion plans

The club plans to expand over the next 5 years, but there needs to be a step change in the facilities available in order to realise the vision of 'football for everyone,' not just boys and girls. “Currently we cannot offer disability football, veterans football or walking football,” John explained, adding that they also had difficulty in offering the facilities young people deserved once they reached their mid teens. “Small, sometimes poorly drained, pitches and inadequate changing facilities fall short of their expectations.”

As part of the plan to grow further, one area of particular focus is girls football. Currently opportunities are provided to play up to Under 18's whilst it is possible for boys football to run to Under 21's. The club would like to see the girls teams compete in open age football. In order to encourage players at the older age groups Groby Juniors wants to be able to offer midweek floodlit football as well as Saturday mornings with the Midlands Football Alliance. Clubs in nearby villages are not as well advanced in the development of girls football, so there is a large catchment area waiting to be developed and plenty of grant funding available to help. This year's Girls Tournament, which attracts entrants from Solihull, Worcester, Luton, Manchester, Grimsby and beyond, is already half full.

Whilst the Brookvale Groby Learning Campus has served the club well, additional facilities are now required as football is played on all the space available on a Sunday morning, so much so that it is having to play at various other sites within Groby. The school changing facilities do not fulfil the FA requirements needed for the future plans.

Brookvale Groby Learning Campus at full capacity and in order to expand it is vital to find other areas to play on within the Groby area.  A new Hub would  also  provide a place that could be called home which would give a real sense of identity. With a marquee floodlit pitch and all weather training area it would inspire existing players as well as attracting new ones.

The search for a suitable site has gone on for years, but high land prices have blocked the club's aspirations. “Grants are only available for building costs,” John explained, “we cannot obtain grants to acquire land.” 

Groby Juniors Football Club is an organisation which balances aspirations of winning with a philosophy that football is for everyone whatever their skill, gender, age or disability. And when Paul Chick says “it's about putting smiles on faces,” that's something most would agree is worthy of support.   February 2019

Football to continue on Stamford Park?

August 2010  The trial this year of the return of organised football to Stamford Park is considered to have been a success.  In a public consultation exercise 250 households were asked for their views.  Nearly 95% did not respond, and of those who did only 3 objected.  The Parish Council decided that the football club should be offered a permit for the 2010/2011 season on similar terms and conditions.