Hundon Football Club unveil new changing facilities to more than 100 people in first home match in four years

More than 100 people attended the opening of Hundon Football Club’s new changing room facilities on Saturday, September 14 and vice chair Anne Cutts labelled the event as a ‘celebration of having football back in the village’.

This was the club’s first home match in more than four years after the previous facilities were deemed as unsafe, which forced Hundon to play their matches at Clare Town FC.

Despite a 5-1 defeat to Eaton Socon Reserves in the Cambridgeshire County League Senior A Division, Cutts was extremely pleased with the attendance and atmosphere created on the day.

“It was a very positive day. We had lots and lots of people from the village turn up to see the new changing facilities and to support the team,” she said.

“It was a real celebration. It was a celebration of having football back in the village and also having a facility that was so much better than what we had before.

“I think it was a real boost for the team because they’ve basically been playing away from home all the time for the past four years.”

Attendees from Suffolk FA and Matt Stebbings - who represented the Football Foundation - came to Hundon to witness the opening, as well as other fund-raisers and contributors, who helped raise the total £268,000.

Cutts also thanked contractor Kevin Hurley, who built the new changing rooms, for his fantastic work throughout the process.

On the pitch, Danial Carr was on target for bottom-of-the-table Hundon, but the visitors spoiled the party via a hat-trick from Ben Cole, alongside Jaiden Bell and George Clarke goals.

Hundon, who were defeated 5-1 at Great Shelford Reserves at the weekend, will have to wait until Saturday, October 5 for their next home match, when they welcome Haverhill Rovers Reserves (3pm). And Cutts hopes the side can be spurred on by the development to the facilities.

“I think they were amazed at how good they (the facilities) were because before it was a portacabin, and that was always only a temporary measure,” she said.

“To have a facility that’s permanent is brilliant and it looks really good.

“The aim is to have junior football and walking football in the future but it’s just a massive boost because the cost of running the teams when you’re paying for a pitch every week, it eats into the club’s funds.

“Now we have our own pitch, we don’t have to pay out anymore.”