Cowling - new training ground could be "biggest thing to happen to U's"

10:59am Monday 4th June 2012 in Sport By Jonathan Waldron

Cowling - new training ground could be "biggest thing to happen to U's" Cowling - new training ground could be "biggest thing to happen to U's"

Colchester United’s new training ground is potentially the biggest thing ever to happen to the club.

That is the view of chairman Robbie Cowling, who believes the opening of the state-of-the-art Tiptree complex will transform the U’s forever.

The finishing touches are currently being made to the impressive venue, which cost £3.5m overall to build, ahead of its opening at the start of next month.

The U’s have never before owned their own training ground and have previously used facilities such as the Garrison and Essex University to prepare for games.

Now they will have everything in one base at the complex, which boasts five high-quality pitches along a full-sized dressing room, physio’s room and offices.

Cowling said: “This is a massive thing for Colchester United.

“In my opinion, this is a bigger leap forward for the club than having a new stadium or winning promotion to the Championship.

“I actually think this has gone under the radar a bit.

“This is going to be around for years and years and years to come.

“Getting promoted in 2006 was great but we weren’t able to hold on to that.

“It just became a memory, whereas a set-up like this should allow us to perhaps achieve that again and stay there.

“The club does look very different now to when I took it over, six years ago.

“We have a great stadium which we’re really making work and now we have a fantastic training facility.

“The club is still not punching any higher than before but that will come in time.”

See Monday's Gazette for more on this story and a full report and pictures on the U's new training ground, along with all of the latest Colchester United news.

Comments(12)

crazy comments says...
5:08pm Mon 4 Jun 12

Yes Mr Cowling, certainly the club does now look very different to when you took it over 6 years ago. On the manager and playing side ten times worse.

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crazy comments says...
5:52pm Mon 4 Jun 12

On the plus side Robbie it looks very impressive and should be a massive boost when trying to sign fresh players.

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USAbloke says...
6:52pm Mon 4 Jun 12

another step forward in the evolution of the club ... be patient folks!

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25414nora says...
8:21pm Mon 4 Jun 12

I reckon if Crazy Comments should ever win the lottery jackpot....

The miserable git would still moan because it was'nt a rollover..

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lollardknight says...
9:37pm Mon 4 Jun 12

If the club can use this facility bringing young talent along, it does bode well for the future of this club and Robbie does deserve a lot of credit.
Just hope we can find some classy players....because over the years colchester have missed loads!!

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angryman!!! says...
9:57pm Mon 4 Jun 12

I'm not sure it's as big as the new stadium but with out doubt is a big step in the right direction.
Also believe like he mentioned will give us more chance in getting loans from the prem.

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Mr Honest says...
3:33pm Tue 5 Jun 12

I agree with Crazy. The club is in a worse state under the egotistical pig that is Cowling.Prem players wont come to Colchester for the training facilities. Its all about the wages and the manager they play under. We play to a third full stadium every week, put up with sky high prices in the ground and have to hear about budgets being cut, etc all the time. Hardly going to make people come to the football is it? Im not interested in Ward being a nice guy. I want a tactically aware, hungry manager. The club is going to be in trouble in the near future.

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angryman!!! says...
6:11pm Tue 5 Jun 12

Sky high prices, do you go to many away games, 17quid at our ground compares well to most other grounds. Also kid for quid and military discount makes the prices as I say very competitive for the league, this same old crap about prices is what stops people from coming, most people think the starting price is over 25 a ticket, when I've brought people from work they've been impressed with prices.
Youth players will generally go where they are sent, and clubs will not be happy sending them to a team that trains in an army camp and local uni.
However I do agree that negative tactics especially at home will always result in lower crowds, even with hoothroyd, when we were winning games lots of people I'd bring would not want to come because of the style of footie

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crazy comments says...
8:00pm Tue 5 Jun 12

25414nora wrote:
I reckon if Crazy Comments should ever win the lottery jackpot.... The miserable git would still moan because it was'nt a rollover..
Ha Ha Nora, No chance of me winning the lottery as I never do it. If i did win, it would have no effect on me at all as I would get little satisfaction of getting a free hand out. The only joy, and excitement I get is when I achieve something through sheer hard work and graft.

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jdh919 says...
8:47pm Tue 5 Jun 12

The current players and their form are temporary, the new training ground is a permanent fixture and Cowling has put a lot of money into creating an impressive facility which should benefit the club in the years to come.

With our low attendances we're going to find it tough to compete in the short-term but with the training ground and the youth set-up at least some decent planning for the long-term is going on.

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crazy comments says...
2:14pm Wed 6 Jun 12

jdh919 wrote:
The current players and their form are temporary, the new training ground is a permanent fixture and Cowling has put a lot of money into creating an impressive facility which should benefit the club in the years to come. With our low attendances we're going to find it tough to compete in the short-term but with the training ground and the youth set-up at least some decent planning for the long-term is going on.
If this has been paid for out of Mr Cowlings own pocket and then he decides in a couple of years time to jump ship, what happens then? We could then finish up without a training ground again. To spend a so called three million pounds that he would want to re coup could possibly put off any other potential buyer for the club.

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Layer Road Exile says...
8:42pm Wed 6 Jun 12

This is a very positive step for the club and a very good move for Cowling. We should not lose site of the planning permission for some 120 houses that Cowling has achieved on the same land parcel and the probability that there is Football Trust money assisting the training ground development. The overall scheme will no doubt return a sizable profit to Cowling but regardless, it is a very good thing for the club. It is such a shame that Cowling did not listen to anyone when he first took the club over. Aspire Media accounts would suggest as much as £15M has been squandered by Cowling so far. The result of his 'investment' is that he has taken a mid table Championship team to a mid table League 1 team. What a shame Mr Heard was not given the opportunity to manage Cowlings investment.

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