AN ATTEMPT is being made to source much-needed funding for a ‘forgotten’ sportsfield in south Ceredigion.

The pitch at Parcllyn, near Aberporth, was for many years a well-utilised facility for a number of different sports and football clubs from all over Ceredigion regularly travelled there for tournaments.

But the closure of the nearby Parcllyn sports and social club coupled with the axing of changing rooms deemed unfit for purpose has left the ground out in the cold post-Covid.

County councillor Clive Davies has now welcomed a Football Association of Wales strategy aimed at increasing participation in the game at grass roots level.

“As far as Ceredigion is concerned they are looking to support where necessary the 22 clubs and over 2,300 players we have in the county while increasing participation by providing advice and funding where possible,” he told the Tivyside.

“Grants supplied by the Cymru Football Foundation – Fit For Future Facilities programme would go some way towards developing the facility at Parcllyn.”

Following an ‘informative’ meeting with FAW officials this week, Cllr Davies is now looking to set up a meeting with an FAW officer to explore the funding available to the Parcllyn Community Sports & Leisure Field.

“The community of Parcllyn and the wider community of Aberporth area is one of the largest village communities in the county,” he said.

“Having this help to support Parcllyn Community Sport and Leisure and Aberporth Community Council, who have done a lot of work to get to this stage, will go a long way to providing a revamped sporting facility for the area, increased participation, improve well-being and – who knows? – possibly producing future players for our national teams.

“We’ve already seen an increased interest across the area shown by the increasing number of hours booked on the new pitch at Cardigan Leisure Centre.”

Back in November the Tivyside revealed two plots of land at the Parcllyn site were no longer required by the Ministry of Defence who intended to sell them off.

The land was taken over in 1939 to create the MoD base to use as a military testing range. Now run by Qinetiq, it is currently used to test air-launched weapons and unmanned aerial systems.