SCOTT YOUNG believes the move into Arbour Park will give Chalvey Sports a better chance of promotion and help them to provide footballing opportunities for people in Slough.

Chalvey were one of several clubs interested in using the multi-million pound community sports stadium and, after agreeing a deal with Slough Borough Council, finalised the move from the Chalvey Recreation Ground last week.

Sports won the Division Two East title last season, their first as members of the Hellenic League, and have made an undefeated start to the defence of their crown this year.

Chalvey Chairman Young is confident the club can use their new facilities to progress on the pitch and hopes to increase their profile within the town by reaching out to local schools.

VIDEO: Chalvey Sports Chairman Scott Young reacts to the move into Arbour Park.

Speaking to the Observer, he explained: “It was very disappointing to win the league as well as we did last year and not be able to take promotion.

“This is now the club saying that if we’re in the position to take promotion at the end of the season, and there’s an awful long way to go, we’ve actually got the chance to do it.

“We would like to play in Division One East and once we’re there we will see what happens and how we go on from that point, but this gives us that platform to be able to do it.

“I’m just very proud of what we want to do and that’s to provide football for people that live in Slough and are part of the community, not just in Chalvey but Slough as a whole.

“As long as we can continue to do that then there will be no-one more pleased and more proud than myself and Steve Quelch (club secretary).

“The plans that we’re putting in place are to play here for however many seasons we can as long as the level of football is still there for us to play at to be able to afford these facilities. It’s a long-term thing as far as we’re concerned.

“Money in grassroots football is always the most difficult thing to come by and we’re looking for support from local businesses, and we’re going to give back to the community as this progresses.

“We’re going to have coaching sessions here before games for school children. We’re going to go around schools and offer tickets for their kids to come in to have a bit of coaching and hopefully watch a good game of football afterwards.

“This is really a long-term investment for us and and a very exciting one, but it has been a lot of hard work.”

Young continued: “Steve and I met early doors with Bob Breen, who has been helping us chat to the council. We had initial talks about a month ago and we couldn’t quite believe we could have an opportunity to play in a place like this.

"When this type of thing comes around and you're a club that wants to progress and want to play in the next league up, then you've got to take that opportunity. 

"Slough Borough Council have been very helpful and encouraging to get us here.

"To play alternatively to Slough Town Football Club, which is the best club in the area, is a great honour for us. 

"We don't take lightly playing at Arbour Park on alternate weekends to Slough Town and I'm sure we will get more people potentially coming to watch us if they can't make their away games.

"If you would have said even two or three years ago that we would be playing our football here, it just makes all that hard work worthwhile. Even going back seven or eight years ago we were really struggling as a club but we kept on going.

"There were a lot of ex-Chalvey players watching on Saturday, people who played for the club for many years and are very proud of what we've managed to achieve, and it is all about the club, it's not about any individual.

"We've got a committed group of players that turn up every week. The manager (Merv Lloyd) keeps them on their toes and they're very motivated, and that keeps us motivated."

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