A six-figure investment in all-weather football facilities at the home of St Johnstone is to offer a boost to footballers of all levels.
The training pitches at McDiarmid Park have been closed for the past four weeks as the surface has been torn up and replaced.
Regular users have been forced to use facilities elsewhere in the city and so there will be a clamour to return to action.
The club now boasts a Fifa two-star surface the best available which opens up fantastic new opportunities for the Perth club.
Not only will it provide the public with the finest pitch available, it will also be up to the standard required for regular professional use. That could see Saints first-team stars making the most of the improved facilities in the near future.
Football administrator Paul Smith said: “This has been a big investment for the club and it is one that the chairman is very proud of.
“The all-weather pitches are hugely important, as they are used regularly by the public, for games and leagues, for our community coaching and our youth academy.
“They offer an important income stream to the club.”
“With this new surface, however, we hope to be able to greatly increase their use, as the boost in quality will open up the possibility of our under-20s using them and even the professionals on an occasional basis.”
The finishing touches are being put to the surface, with just sand and rubber to be put down, but it will be into next week before new goals and equipment are in place.
Once those works are complete, the club will begin informing all its regular users that they can return to action at McDiarmid Park.
The old all-weather surface, meanwhile, may soon be found in gardens across the city. It’s being sold off by the club and is available for purchase in sizes both large and small.
Anyone interested in picking up a piece of the old all-weather turf is invited to email the club’s Roddy Grant at roddy@perthsaints.co.uk.