Sheffield United chief provides an update on near-£2m work to club's training pitches

Manager Paul Heckingbottom raised the issue earlier this season, with the bottom pitches at their Shirecliffe training complex suffering badly from a mid-season downpour that forced them to train on their indoor surface.

Heckingbottom believes that may have contributed to a number of the club’s soft-tissue injuries in the second half of the season, and insisted it was an issue that needed to be resolved this summer.

Bettis says United are “pretty much there” in terms of finalising the deal – which will cost just shy of £2million – for a contractor to begin work on the pitches, and the work has board approval to proceed.

“The big issue that Paul has had and highlighted is the pitches that the first team train on,” Bettis said.

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“We spent around £600,000-700,000 about two seasons ago on them when Chris [Wilder] was still here and we thought that had resolved the situation but it clearly hadn't. There's been a number of issues with drainage.

“We have been talking to a number of contractors and we are pretty much there in finalising the sum to get them on site and it has board approval to proceed.

“When the weather is great there is no problem with [the pitches]. The problem is in the winter when they become a lake rather than a playing field.”

The work is not expected to be complete in time for pre-season, with United making arrangements to use other pitches at Shirecliffe for their preparations ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

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“I don't think it is an issue,” Bettis added.

“We have had three managers and at various points some have wanted to stay in the first team building, and some have wanted to move down into the academy.

“We have gone backwards and forwards and it's becoming a manager's choice, and really we have to take control of it.

“We have done a lot improvements to the offices and they have got a far better working environment. The other two areas are the pitches, which we are pretty much there and committed to, and the changing rooms, and that's the final part of the equation.”

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