BRACKNELL Town are building for the future, on and off the field, writes Dave Wright.

And the Robins, who will be playing in the Isthmian League next season, must be one of the fastest growing clubs in non-league football.

Club director Steve Shortland explained: “There is a lot of talk about the first team, as they have enjoyed a great deal of success in the past year.

“To make sure that success continues, the club needs to be built on solid foundations, and that is now coming from the number of juniors we have playing football at the club.

“We have 379 youngsters from Under 7s up to U18s – that is 95 percent of the club’s members. Whenever people think about the club, they think of the 11 players wearing the first-team shirt, but as you see that is just five per cent.”

A large number of them are expected to be involved at the Ranelagh Sports Hub, which is due to be built in the grounds of the school which is close to Town’s Larges Lane headquarters.

Shortland, who is director of sport at Wellington College, said: “There is a sort of misconception among the local people that the hub is just for the Bracknell first team, it’s not. It’s for the local community.

“The key link with Ranelagh School will be the educational one. There will be opportunities for kids to gain sports-related qualifications and coaching badges. For those who are successful, they will then be able to go into local primary schools to do some coaching.

“The aim is also to help with character building and maintaining a good discipline.”

He continued: “Ranelagh and the club will be working closely together. The hub is just not for football, it will be a multi-sports facility including rugby, and there will be potential for athletics and several other sports.

“Netball remains a top priority, however it will require more thinking and an additional planning application before it can be reconsidered on the current playing field.

“The priority use of it will be for the school during the day and in the evenings it will be used by the club who are all from the local community.

“Hopefully, those involved will be encouraged to continuing to play sport in the area, rather than go elsewhere.

“The budding footballers among them will want to play for Bracknell, they will certainly get the best coaching possible. The quality of the coaching is already in place.”

The club said the parents of the children currently involved with the Robins are proving very supportive, some even keen to assist with the coaching.

Shortland commented: “The willingness to improve the standard is having a ripple effect and that can only be good for the whole future of the club. Their continuing growth is important not just to the football club, but the whole community.”

Bracknell will be one of the cheapest places to watch Isthmian League games next season with admission being pegged at £5.

Chairman Kayne Steinborn-Busse said: “It’s really important to us that football is affordable, so we are holding adult admissions at £5 to help drive engagement and get the town even more behind us.

“We want to see families coming down and enjoying their afternoon at Larges Lane. Under-16s will be admitted free as usual.”

Season tickets are available at £85 for adults and £50 concessions for all home games and league cup ties, but the FA Cup and FA Trophy are not included.

The ground is being improved with additional covered accommodation and outside toilets.