GRASSROOTS football club FC Eagle in Warrington is celebrating a major boost to its facilities after being selected as one of 50 clubs to benefit from Specsavers’ Best Worst Pitch initiative.
The club has received new, lightweight line-marking equipment, helping volunteers maintain pitches more efficiently across multiple sites in the local Penketh area.
FC Eagle, which celebrated its 30th anniversary last year, is the only grassroots football club in the local area providing accessible youth football. With 26 teams ranging from under-7s to under-19s, as well as a veterans team, the club supports hundreds of players competing across Warrington youth and vets leagues.
Maintaining pitches across school grounds has long presented challenges for the club, with access limited to out-of-hours use and conditions often preventing council machinery from reaching the sites. The new lightweight spray marker will allow volunteers to prepare pitches more quickly and flexibly, significantly reducing the time required for upkeep.
The equipment will also have a major impact on FC Eagle’s annual summer tournament, which sees 144 teams from across the region compete. Previously, marking out six temporary pitches required multiple evenings of volunteer time. With the new kit, the process is expected to take just a single evening.
The club impressed Specsavers with its strong community ethos and commitment to inclusion, ensuring football remains accessible to children of all backgrounds and abilities.
The club’s commitment to making a difference extends beyond the local community. Last season, FC Eagle partnered with charity Mission Possible to donate old kits to children in Dagoretti, Nairobi, helping provide teamwear and a sense of identity to grassroots teams in the area.
Rich Winsor, Chairman at FC Eagle says: ‘We see it as a privilege to be able to provide sport to children in our local area, and we’re incredibly proud of the inclusive environment we’ve built over the past 30 years. This new equipment will make a huge difference to our volunteers, reducing the time it takes to maintain pitches and allowing us to focus even more on supporting our players. We’re grateful for the opportunity and excited about what this means for the future of the club.’
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.
Neil Liddle, Brand Partnerships and Sponsorships Lead at Specsavers, says: ‘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 FC Eagle, 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.’
Victoria Evans, store director at Specsavers Warrington says: ‘FC Eagle is a brilliant example of the power of grassroots football, bringing young people together and creating opportunities both on and off the pitch.’
Clear and accurate pitch markings are essential for ensuring structure, fairness and safety in the game, as well as improving visibility for players and officials.
FC Eagle continues to welcome new players and volunteers, with more information available at www.fceagle.co.uk
