Grassroots club Brandesburton AFC have seen their playing field transformed
East Yorkshire village football club Brandesburton AFC were identified by the Specsavers’ Best Worst Pitch initiative among 50 grassroots clubs in most need of support(Image: supplied image)
A village football club in East Yorkshire have scored big as one of 50 clubs supported by Specsavers’ Best Worst Pitch initiative. Brandesburton AFC, near Driffield, are among those recognised by the Gary Neville-backed campaign to improve underfunded grassroots football pitches across the UK.
Brandesburton have seen their playing field transformed after being identified among 50 clubs in most need of support. The club have received professional line-marking equipment, GPS pitch mapping technology and expert maintenance training to make the playing facilities visible once again.
Brandesburton AFC, founded in 1902, have over the decades developed teams to include men’s, women’s, and veterans’ squads, alongside various junior teams. The club nurture local talent and have established themselves within the community as built on passion, dedication, and the unwavering support of loyal local people.
As a result, Brandesburton AFC, along with clubs from across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, will now benefit from the campaign, which aims to tackle one of the most pressing issues facing grassroots football in the UK – poor pitch conditions. For Brandesburton AFC, it is often hard to get the equipment to keep their pitch game ready and they found that their previous line marker was not up to scratch and often wasted the time of their hardworking volunteers – improving this will provide a significant boost to match-day experiences for players, coaches, and officials alike.
With local councils stretched for funding, the responsibility for maintaining club pitches increasingly falls on dedicated volunteers from the grassroots football community, often using outdated or inadequate equipment. Jake Crozier, club secretary and U7s coach at Brandesburton AFC, said: “This is absolutely massive for Brandesburton AFC.
“We’ve been working tirelessly to provide the best possible experience for our players, but maintaining quality pitch markings across our sites has been an ongoing struggle. To be selected as one of 50 clubs from across the entire UK is a testament to the dedication of our team, who turn up week after week, rain or shine, to keep our pitches playable.
“This equipment will make a transformational difference to our club and the players we serve.” The Best Worst Pitch initiative was launched by Specsavers in partnership with Manchester United and England legend Gary Neville.
It builds on the brand’s long-standing commitment to grassroots football through its Best Worst Team campaign. Over the past four seasons, Specsavers has documented the journeys of struggling grassroots teams, highlighting real challenges faced in local footballing communities while providing elite-level support including coaching from football legends and expert eye and hearing care.
Neil Liddle, brand partnerships and sponsorships lead at Specsavers, said: “Since we have been supporting clubs that need a bit of help with their eyes and ears, as well as their game, we’ve noticed the effort that goes into keeping grassroots clubs running. Clubs like Brandesburton AFC, who quietly put in the hard work behind the scenes to keep pitches playable despite not having a permanent home, embody what grassroots football is all about.
“This initiative means we can support more clubs and communities across the UK. By making faded lines more visible, we’re helping players see the beautiful game more clearly.”
Clear and accurate line markings are vital not just for ensuring structure and fairness in the game, but also for helping players and officials navigate the pitch, enhancing visibility, spatial awareness, and overall safety throughout play.
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