Toolstation NCEL Premier Division side Bottesford Town officially switched on their brand-new floodlight system before a game against Scunthorpe United U23s on Wednesday night.

This was made possible by investment from the Premier League, which has been delivered by the Football Stadia Improvement Fund (FSIF), allowing the Poachers to install a new LED floodlight system at their home ground, Birkdale Park.

The club's original floodlights were installed at another facility in Scunthorpe over forty years ago before, in 1995, they were dismantled, modified and relocated to their home and, thirteen years later, were slightly upgraded to fit requirements.

The latest LED upgrade and improvements ensure that that the club meet the requirements of Category G for the FA National Ground Grading Criteria applicable to their Step 5 level.

Bottesford Town is a large FA Charter Standard Community Club with 27 teams ranging from Under-6 boys and girls to male and female adult first teams and they also run a Downs Syndrome Active Team, the only one in Lincolnshire.

The floodlights, that will help support the development and growth of all the club's teams, were partly funded by a £30,035 total grant from the FSIF, the sister organisation of the Football Foundation.

The additional costs were covered by North Lincolnshire Council, Bottesford Town Council and Bottesford Town, who invested £39,990 between them.

Tony Reeve, chairman of Bottesford Town, stated: "We are particularly appreciative of the Football Stadia Improvement Fund and the Premier League for supporting our club over many years as we work through the identified improvements listed in our Football Development Plan.

"This latest development has been designed and installed to meet the requirements of our next major project - that being a full size 3G facility which is listed in the recently produced LFFP.

"I would also like to put on record our sincere gratitude to both the North Lincolnshire and the Bottesford Town Council for their continual support who share similar aims as the club in delivering a better future for the young people in the local Community."

The facility was 'officially' opened by Cllr Rob Waltham MBE, leader of North Lincolnshire Council.

Peter McCormick OBE, chairman of the Football Stadia Improvement Fund, said: "The new floodlights at Bottesford Town FC represent another great boost for a club that is continuing to progress up the football pyramid, now playing in Step 5 in the Northern Counties East League Premier Division.

"The developments at Birkdale Park will enable the club to push on and I look forward to seeing the club develop further over the coming seasons.

"The Premier League, through the FSIF, is committed to improving grassroots infrastructure right across the country and these works are further proof of this."

The game saw Bottesford take on a strong Scunthorpe United U23s side that won 5-2 but the night belonged to the Poachers and their new floodlights.