England legend makes surprise visit to Stapleford

The former Liverpool and England player, who was also joined by Leeds, Liverpool and Scotland legend Gary McAllister, paid a flying visit to the Hickings Lane Recreation Ground, going on a guided tour of the development site and meeting local residents, Stapleford Town FC officials, the construction team and councillors from Broxtowe Borough Council.

Developed using the £21.1m Towns Fund, awarded by the Government in 2021, the community pavilion is one of several projects coming to fruition after years of co-ordinated effort by the local community, the Town Board and Broxtowe Borough Council.

It will be home to a new Steven Gerrard Academy - one of only seven in the UK, offering a broad range of pathways for students aged 16 plus, including football, employment, and university opportunities.

Now in is 14th year, Steven Gerrard Academy has a strong focus on personal and professional development, students gaining valuable experience through coaching, sports science, work placements, and international tours.

In September 2025, the Academy will launch a new Higher Education offer, allowing students to pursue an HNC Level 4 or a full BSc (Hons) degree while gaining real-world experience through industry placements.

This expansion enables learners to extend their journey at the Academy up to five years, building networks and skills that lead directly into employment within the sports sector.

Its arrival at Hickings Lane also marks the culmination of years behind-the-scenes work by members of Stapleford FC and attracted a £1.4 million grant from the Premier League, the FA and the Football Foundation.

After a detailed inspection of the pavilion and pitches with the site construction team, Steven Gerrard said: “I’m hugely impressed by progress here. A huge amount of work has gone into this development – the building, the 3G pitches and the all the areas around
them.

“You can see that completion is not so far away now and it’s going to be an exciting time for Stapleford and for the Steven Gerrard Academy.

“Broxtowe Borough Council have been immense – we can’t deliver elite facilities like this without local support, so we’re very appreciative of the partnership we’ve developed.”

He added: “Having elite facilities like this is going to make a huge difference to all the girls and boys who use it. I’ve been around Premier League academies, and these facilities are at that level.

“The classrooms are amazing, there are multi-use facilities – it’s the perfect platform for them to learn, grow and evolve themselves as people. You’re not going to get better facilities than this, so a huge thank you to everyone who’s been involved.”

The new facilities at Hickings Lane are expected to open in October, and the energyefficient sports pavilion will also feature a community café, five multi-use community spaces which can be hired for events, meetings and classes, and expanded parking and cycle storage.

Besides improving the community facilities, the scale and quality of the development puts Stapleford on the map as a centre of excellence for sport and sporting education.

Deputy Leader of Broxtowe Borough Council, Councillor Greg Marshall, joined Steven Gerrard on the site inspection. He said: “It was a pleasure to welcome Steven to the new Hickings Lane community pavilion in Stapleford today, where I’m sure the Steven Gerrard Academy will thrive.

“Steven was extremely pleased with the progress so far and expressed his excitement about opening a hub for his Academy in this incredible facility. I'm over the moon with the progress that has been made to date and Broxtowe Borough Council couldn't be happier at this stage.

“This is fantastic opportunity for local kids to learn from world-class coaches at a world class site. I know me, Steven, and everyone involved can’t wait to see it in action.”

For more information about the community pavilion project and other Stapleford Towns Fund projects, visit www.broxtowe.gov.uk/staplefordtownsfund