Sheffield United's new training ground timescale confirmed as chief executive speaks of pride at breakthrough

The timescale for Sheffield United's new training complex has been confirmed after Stephen Bettis, the Blades' chief executive, spoke of his "pride" at what will be a major breakthrough for the Blades. United announced earlier this month that a deal had been struck to acquire the HSBC sports ground site in Dore.

United have been searching for a site for their new training facility for more than three years, with a couple of potential sites identified close to their current Shirecliffe facility - which will be retained by the Blades for their academy set-up, with an eventual aim of becoming a category-one setup. The site, once fully operational, will be a legacy of United spending three seasons out of the last five in the Premier League, amongst other off-field developments including the redevelopment of the Bramall Lane hotel.

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While the press release announcing the training ground deal described it as "a significant investment in the football club" that will "give the first team a solid foundation for future success for many years to come." But it did not reveal a timescale for it to become fully operational, with chief executive Bettis putting a little more meat on the bones today in an exclusive interview with National World.

"We've exchanged, paid a deposit and the contracts are signed," Bettis confirmed. "We don't complete until the end of August, HSBC wanted that time to deal with their transition out. So we don't get the keys until the end of August. We've got to then get planning permissions for what we want to do there with a couple of Desso pitches for the first-team to use solely for their training sessions. Realistically it's two seasons, because you've got to build it as well. I think it's two more seasons. We don't get the keys for another six months."

Bettis was first appointed as United's CEO back in 2016, returning in 2018 after a brief hiatus. "I've been around the club for eight or nine years," he added, "and, for me, this [the training ground] is the thing I'm most proud of."