THE future of grassroots sport has been revealed under the dazzle of a floodlit artificial pitch to support the next generation of North-East athletes.

A project co-funded by the Premier League and The FA Facilities Fund granted £412,580 to create a third generation artificial grass pitch (AGP) in Darlington with ten new football teams poised to play the field.

The Darlington Borough Council Eastbourne Sports Complex pitch – which was officially opened on Wednesday night – is expected to boost sports participation by around 40 per cent under a Football Foundation development plan.

Grassroots sides, Darlington FC Reserves, Middleton Rangers FC and Darlington Youth FC are all set to use the site alongside community clubs following the upgrade of the council’s previous sand-based pitch.

Mike Crawshaw, Darlington Borough Council’s head of leisure, said: “We are delighted to open the new AGP at Eastbourne Sports Complex which is going to benefit the local sporting community in Darlington for many years to come.

“The new AGP will allow the clubs on site to grow and will support increasing participation in sport and physical activity through the new football development plan in partnership with the local clubs and community groups who use the site.”

The grant was given to Darlington Borough Council under the Football Foundation’s remit to develop new or refurbished grassroots football facilities.

Paul Thorogood, chief executive, the Football Foundation, said: “This development will provide a real boost to sport in the local area.

“With this funding, provided by the Premier League, The FA and the Government, through Sport England, we are helping to improve community sports facilities across the country and thereby the playing experience of those who take part.

“This project in Darlington is the latest addition of modern community sports sites we are developing that cater for the needs of local people who want to play sport purely for the love of it and to stay healthy.”