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  • "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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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.

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