SIS Pitches appointed to Gussie Park Redevelopment

One of the world's leading synthetic pitch manufacturers has been appointed by Dundee United Football Club to install a new state-of-the-art 3G pitch at the Club's Gussie Park.

SIS Pitches begins work next month as lead contractor in a ï¿¡300,000 redevelopment of the Club's flagship community facility. The company has manufactured and fitted both synthetic and natural football pitches across the world including World Cup and European stadia as well as domestic league and community facilities. Scottish company Bonar Yarns is also a key partner as it is supplying the specialist yarn which is a fundamental part of the final manufactured football pitch.

Steve Spaven, Sales Director at SIS Pitches said: "We are extremely excited to be working on this redevelopment for Dundee United and looking forward to getting started next month. This will be another major project in Scotland for us this year, following our recent re-turfing projects at Hampden and Celtic Park."

Dundee United is forecasting a spring launch for a redeveloped Gussie Park with schools, community groups, local youth teams, companies and public sector organisations all having the opportunity to benefit from playing on one of the best footballing surfaces in the world. The redevelopment of Gussie Park is a key strategic aim of the Club investing some of the returns from its successful transfer market trading into the local community and economy. A significant proportion of the funding has also been contributed by Dundee United supporters' groups including ArabTRUST and the Federation of Dundee United Supporters' Clubs.

David Southern, General Manager at Dundee United Football Club said: "It has been a long held ambition of the Chairman and Board of the Club to provide a state of the art training facility that can deliver benefits to both the Club's youth players and the wider community. Our plans to redevelop Gussie Park, opposite our home ground of Tannadice, are now at an advanced stage. The centre point of this redevelopment will be a new FIFA 2* rated playing surface provided by SIS. It is a world class provision that is a fitting investment by the Club given the importance we place on the development of all ages of young players. After a rigorous tender process we elected SIS Pitches based on their world-wide experience in manufacturing and fitting pitches everywhere from world cup venues through to club stadiums in leagues across the globe. We are also very conscious of our own roots in the community and it is an added bonus that the yarn for the 'grass' comes from Bonar Yarns which is on the doorstep of Gussie Park."

Dundee United Academy teams from Under 10s to Under 17s will now be centred at Gussie Park. The Club's nationwide renowned J League which is open to children from the age of five years old upwards will also resume activity from the first weekend in March. Gussie Park will also be available for private hire and as such is expected attract the attention of a number of teams from local companies and other work places who enjoy the recreational side of the game but also appreciate playing football on a first class surface.