Coleshill Town might be preparing for a Buildbase FA Vase replay with Newcastle Benfield this weekend, but they’re also aiming to take advantage of another opportunity with the competition partners.
The Buildbase Club Renovation Programme is still open for applications from all clubs who can feature in both the FA Trophy and Vase, after the deadline was extended to 14 January.
With a prize of a £50,000 product bursary from Buildbase on offer for two successful teams from each competition, the funds can go towards any development projects at their ground.
And the West Midlands outfit remain the only club left in this season’s Vase to have put themselves forward for the prize, which will be awarded following ‘The Big Pitch’ – a Dragon’s Den style event held at Wembley.
“As a small club, and we are a small club at this level, any finance that we can get to develop the facilities is a massive boost for a club like ours,” revealed Coleshill chairman Paul Billing, speaking about what they would plan to do at their Pack Meadow home should they win the prize.
“We’ve got plans for refurbishment of the disabled facilities, the bar, the toilets and other bits, so we’ve got a long list of things that this would help us build.”
One of last season’s winners were Cleethorpes Town, whose chairman David Mann has already urged every club to put forward their plans for the latest campaign
And with £50,000 worth of equipment on offer, Billing reckons most clubs at their level can’t afford not to enter.
“For us to save that sort of money, we’d probably be talking eight to ten years as every penny that we generate goes into running the club and maintaining what we’ve already got,” he added.
“So to build afresh is a massive ask for a club like ours.”
The Coleman also have the prospect of playing their Vase fourth round replay with Newcastle Benfield on the immediate horizon, with the Northern League side due at Pack Meadow on Saturday.
Whoever wins that tie will pick up £1875 from the Vase prize fund and will go on to play Bracknell Town in the next round. The losers will also pick up £625 to soften the blow.
It ended in a 1-1 draw last Saturday and Billing believes it will be a similarly tight game when the team meet in Birmingham.
“It was extremely tough in the north-east for the first game,” he said.
“They were very competitive and physical and we were happy with a draw because we normally get beat when we go up to the north-east.
“So to get them back on our turf is a massive boost for us, so let’s hope we can finish the job.”
If you think your club deserves a share of the Buildbase Renovation Programme, click here to apply by 14 January 2018. Check the eligibility criteria and terms and conditions in advance.
You can also follow the conversation at #BuildbaseRenovation and visit the Buildbase Blog for updates.
