SHAWBURY United are set to leave their current Ludlow groundshare and move back home.

United have secured land in a generous offer from a local landowner to return back to their home village to create a purpose built sports facility with five football pitches, a training area and future club house.

The club has over 240 players, playing in both junior and senior leagues.

The land owned by Gerard Verdino, has been gifted to the club on a 99 year lease, ensuring the future of football within the village.

The club's committee have begun a fundraising appeal to raise £20,000 needed to create a purpose built facility for the local community.

The junior teams are currently playing at multiple sites across the village, however these have become too small to accommodate the expanding club and lack toilet and changing facilities.

While the senior team do not have a Shawbury pitch appropriate for their West Midland Premier League and have been ground sharing at Ludlow.

Dave Richards, Shawbury United Chair said: “I'd personally like to thank Gerard Verdino and his family for their very kind donation of the land, it means so much to me personally and everyone at Shawbury United football club to have somewhere we finally can call home.

"It means so much to me personally and everyone at Shawbury United football club to have somewhere we finally can call home."

The new ground’s aim is to create an opportunity for further sport, recreation and community based activities, attracting a wide range of participants from juniors to veterans and also the non-footballing community.

Tracie Howells, Junior Club Chair said: “We are delighted to be offered this amazing opportunity to secure the future of junior football within Shawbury. The new facility will allow more children to be able to participate in sport within the village and surrounding areas.”

The club would be delighted to speak to anyone who may be able to sponsor the project in any way; for example through donation of services and or materials or offering financial support via donation on crowdfunding: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/shawbury-fc