HADLEIGH United are on the move.The Millfield club, who have been mid-table in the Jewson League First Division for last few seasons, have today unveiled ambitious plans to improve their status.

HADLEIGH United are on the move.

The Millfield club, who have been mid-table in the Jewson League First Division for last few seasons, have today unveiled ambitious plans to improve their status.

Confirmation of a £75,000 grant from the Football Stadia Improvement Fund was received this week. This means that improvements should be made during the summer to upgrade their changing facilities.

Last summer the car park area was improved dramatically – and club treasurer Rolf Beggerow says that this was just the beginning.

"Having a tarmac car park was stage one," he said today. "Stage two will be improving our changing facilities and bar area.

"And we want this to be a platform for further improvements. This week's news will hopefully give a clear signal that we do not want to stand still.

"With better facilities at our club house we can hopefully open the bar seven days a week and hold functions that will improve our level on income.

"This will in turn mean that it will be easier to attract players. At the moment our loyal squad is playing for love.

"We all know that you need finance to win trophies and gain promotions and by improving our facilities we aim to expand the club."

Critics of the First Division of the Jewson League describe it as a 'nothing' league. Hadleigh manager Louis Newman has worked very hard but with limited resources his progress has been restricted.

He has managed to keep – and improve – a smallish squad over the last five years without making any serious challenge for promotion.

Hadleigh have applications being considered for grants from the local and district councils, and if these bear fruit work should start on the clubhouse facilities during the close season.

"The total outlay to upgrade the dressing rooms and make some improvements to the clubhouse is £110,000," added Beggerow.

"We are operating in a league where the most successful clubs have high player budgets. We must aim to join them.

"But we are not just looking at our first team but also our five other sides going down to under-nines."

Hadleigh's pitch has certainly reached the heights already with Suffolk Premier and Senior Cup semi-finals being staged at Millfield. And the Premier Cup final between AFC Sudbury and Felixstowe and Walton United is being hosted by Hadleigh on Monday May 6.