Sheffield United boss issues training ground update after making big financial statement

United confirmed earlier this summer that they will spend a seven-figure sum sanctioning improvements to their training surfaces at their Shirecliffe training complex, bringing them in line with the Desso pitch installed at Bramall Lane.

Boss Heckingbottom first voiced concerns about the state of the surfaces midway through last season, when he described them as “terrible” and “a bog”.

Speaking towards the back end of United’s pre-season training camp in Portugal, Heckingbottom told The Star that diggers had moved in on the site and he was expecting work to be up and running this week.

“It’s a big renovation project,” he added. “Usually, at this time of year, it’s a case of re-skimming the top but this is a building project we want doing as well, so it will take longer.

“But it will be worth it. Definitely.

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“We have spoken about what we can control and what we can get better at. Last season, we had a lot of injuries and we know why. Pre-season was disrupted. Covid-19 caused a lot of game cancellations, and then there was the training pitch.

“When we got control of all those things, from the middle of March onwards – when the pitch wasn’t flooded and the schedule calmed down and we had consistent training – we only had one soft tissue injury after that, which was Billy [Sharp, the United skipper].

“Before that, we couldn’t get control over anything. So it is worth it. Rather than having having hundreds of thousands of pounds in the physio and treatment room, we’ll have them on the pitch.

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“So it is worth investing the money in the training facility.”

United left no stone unturned on tour, hiring out the Portguese FA’s national training centre for a week-long camp which culminated in a friendly against Casa Pia on Friday.

“We’ve been really pleased with it,” Heckingbottom added. “We wanted a better pre-season and it’ll put is in a good place for the season starting.

“We’ll be able to push on and be strong all season.”

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