Month: August 2020

The magic of the FA Cup comes to Glevum Park : spectator advice

This notice is intended to brief spectators and other visitors to Glevum Park on Tuesday, 1 September (7:45pm KO).

Tuffley Rovers look forward to our FA Cup tie with Harefield United at Glevum Park on Tuesday, 1 September 2020. The tie will be settled on the night, with fixtures this year played over 90 minutes, with kicks from the penalty spot determining the winner if scores are level at full-time.

Following recent advice issued by the Football Association and Department for Culture, Media & Sport last week, this will be the first fixture where up to 300 spectators are permitted to attend and we can confirm the arrangements for the game.

Entry prices will be £6 per Adult and £4 concessions (U18s and O65s). As we are limited to 300 spectators entry will be managed on a first come, first served basis, with both turnstiles open (although we are not anticipating having a crowd of 300!). All spectators attending will be expected to undertake a temperature check and provide their details for Track & Trace purposes. Anyone who has a temperate at, or above, 37.8C will not be admitted.

In order to support the safety measures required in response to Covid-19, we have updated a number of documents, including our overall risk assessment and a new document aimed specifically at spectators attending Glevum Park:

Risk Assessment

Guidance for spectators

FA Code of Behaviour

Included in this section is a document we will use to capture Track & Trace information. If you are able to complete a copy in advance and bring it with you and hand in at the gate, that will help in speeding up entry arrangements at the turnstile.

Advice ahead of fixture with Evesham United, 25 August 2020

This notice is intended to brief spectators and other visitors to Glevum Park on Tuesday, 25 August (7:45pm KO).

Tuffley Rovers look forward to welcoming spectators back to Glevum Park on Tuesday, 25 August 2020 as Southern League side Evesham United travel to Glevum Park.

Following the advice issued by the Football Association and Department for Culture, Media & Sport last week, this will be the first fixture where spectators are permitted to attend and we can now confirm the arrangements for the game. Entry will be the standard admission prices of £5 per Adult and £3 concessions (U18s and O65s). We are limited to 150 spectators, so entry will be managed on a first come, first served basis, with both turnstiles open.

In order to support the safety measures required in response to Covid-19, we have updated a number of documents, including our overall risk assessment and a new document aimed specifically at spectators attending Glevum Park:

http://www.tuffleyroversfc.co.uk/privacy-policy/

Included in this section is a document we will use to capture Track & Trace information. If you are able to complete a copy in advance and bring it with you, that will help in speeding up entry arrangements at the turnstile.

Pritchett ends time at Rovers helm

Tuffley Rovers’ first team manager, Mark Pritchett, has announced his decision to step down from the role, after four years at the helm of the Uhlsport Hellenic League, Premier Division club.

Pritchett has cited a number of reasons that have influenced his decision, in a move that has come as a surprise, and draws a close on a largely successful period for the club who had been facing relegation from Step 5 at the time of his appointment in 2016.

“It has been a really difficult decision for me, but I’ve ultimately come to the decision that I am going to step down from my role as manager”, Pritchett confirmed. “I’ve got a really important year coming up with work and some of the challenges presented by Covid mean I need to put even more into that. I want to continue playing, having enjoyed my season in 2019/20, so I felt like it was the right time to make this decision.”

The departing manager went on to thank his squad.

 “We have a great bunch of lads and when I came here that is what I wanted; a good side with a great team bond.”

Pritchett confirmed he does intend to return to playing once he’s had a short break.

In confirming Pritchett’s departure, Rovers’ Chairman Dan Boon positively acknowledged his time at the club.

“I would like to thank Pritch for his time as manager of the first team, which I am extremely grateful for. He has been someone I have had a great relationship with and I’m sad to see him leave the role.”

The new Rovers Chairman then confirmed that Assistant Manager Richard Cox would temporarily take up the reins, on a caretaker basis, until the club are in a position to make a decision around a more permanent appointment.

Rovers achieve sponsorship boost

Tuffley Rovers have renewed their first team shirt sponsorship with local company JMJ Fabrications Ltd. for a third consecutive season, ahead of the start of the 2020/21 campaign.

JMJ Fabrications had previously sponsored the club’s second team squad for two years before becoming the main club sponsor and their support has been pivotal in many of the developments that have been introduced at Glevum Park over the past few years.

The Tuffley based company, a fabrications specialist, have moved into stadium design over the last five years and have been involved in the construction of Rovers’ new stand, pitch-side fence system and dugouts over the last three years; part of the transformation of Rovers’ home that has made it amongst the best facilities in Gloucester.

Rovers’ returning sponsor have also been involved in works with other clubs, including Premier Division side Chelsea, as they look to expand their stadium improvement clientele after recent success. Such has been the success of this expansion to JMJ’s business that they have now established a stadium specific brand in STAD-FAB (Twitter @ StadFab2020).

Football Secretary, Neil Spiller, was delighted that the club had secured the sponsorship deal for a further season.

“We’ve formed a fantastic relationship with a local company that has been mutually beneficial, as they’ve provided financial support, as well as helping us in developing the ground over the last few seasons”, he said. “We are absolutely delighted to secure their sponsorship and display the JMJ logo on our shirts for yet another season.”

JMJ Director, Jamie Gibbons, was equally effusive about the partnership continuing.

“As a local company we are delighted to continue our support for Tuffley Rovers and maintain a partnership that we believe is a great way for us to advertise our business and also our support for the local community”, he added. “The club are doing great things and we are very proud to be a part of it.”

In addition, Rovers have renewed their Veterans’ team sponsorship with Altripan UK Ltd., who have sponsored the club for almost ten years.

A worldwide supplier of plywood, Altripan have been a wonderful supporter of the club, with Director Andy Simpson a regular supporter at the club’s first team fixtures.

“Tuffley Rovers has been a big part of the local community and I am delighted that Altripan have once again been able to support the club”, he confirmed. “We continue to see ourselves as a passionate supporter of the club and are delighted to lend our financial support once again.”

Rovers are in the process of concluding several sponsorship deals ahead of the new season but would welcome support from any local companies. Their current sponsorship brochure can be viewed via their sponsorship booklet.

Rovers granted improvement funding

Tuffley Rovers are celebrating three separate grant awards that have helped ensure that their Glevum Park home is looking much improved!

Despite the long gap without football action, Tuffley Rovers have continued their preparations for the 2020/21 season and have released tremendous support from Sport England the Football Foundation, in the form of three grants that have enabled the club to make improvements on and off the pitch at Glevum Park.

First, the club were able to invest in improving the surface at their home venue, which was much needed after the harshest of winters, and an award of nearly £4,000 from Sport England has helped ensure that the pitch is in tip-top condition ahead of the first home pre-season game, scheduled for 13 August 2020.

The challenging winter conditions and then the cessation of activities associated with Covid-19 meant that the installation of a new pitch-side barrier system was significantly delayed, but the work on this was completed in the last week, further enhancing the improving appearance of Rovers’ ground, as part of a programme of works that had started when the club returned to the Hellenic League in 2013.  This work was completed with the support of a significant grant from the Football Stadia Improvement Fund.

New fence system (3) New fence system (2)

This piece of work was led by former Chair, Neil Spiller, who stood down in May but has continued in the role of Football Secretary.

“When we re-entered the Hellenic League we had to make a number of improvements to our ground and at that time our financial position meant that we could only erect a temporary solution, with a pitch-side fence made from scaffold poles”, he explained.

“That served its purpose but last season we suffered some damage in one part of the ground and we had to look at a more permanent solution. This led to an application to the Football Foundation, who have been tremendously supportive, and we were able to secure a sizeable grant that means we now have a fence installed that is a source of genuine pride”, he added.

The new fence is the latest in a series of changes that has seen new stands, terracing and dugouts installed at the home of The Rovers and that isn’t the end to the improvments.

Most recently, the club received further support, in the shape of the Football Foundation’s Club Preparation Fund, which has allowed the club to install additional hygiene facilities to help meet Government requirements in relation to Covid-19.

Hygiene     Hygiene (2)

Newly appointed Football Chairman, Dan Boon, was delighted with the support the club had received from the various funding channels.

“Like many Non-League clubs, we have faced a number of challenges around loss of revenue and other issues arising from the early end to the 2019/20 season, which was particularly difficult given how much the dreadful weather between October and March had impacted upon the club”, he said. “This funding has allowed us to make both short-term and long-term improvements to Glevum Park and we can only thank Sport England and The Football Foundation for their continued support.”

Although it might be a while before spectators can see all the improvements, given the current prohibition on spectators attending games, the club hope that future visitors and pre-season opposition will be able to notice the further progress which has been made.