Thorp Arch (training ground)

History

Thorp Arch was the brainchild of Howard Wilkinson, who became manager of Leeds United in 1988 and realised that the club needed a modern, purpose-built training facility.{{cite web | access-date = 2 Oct 2009 | access-date = 2 Oct 2009

In 2000, the club vacated The Grange in order to start work on a new £5 million state-of-the-art youth academy and training facility. The move saw the academy players move in with local families. The new academy was opened in 2002 and was named The Barn. It featured a number of new facilities including an indoor pitch, a swimming pool, a gym and new changing rooms.

However, the club soon encountered financial difficulties. In July 2004, The Grange was sold to Sterling Investment Properties Limited, a company owned by David Newett, a businessman from Wetherby.{{cite web | access-date = 2 Oct 2009 | access-date = 2 Oct 2009 | access-date = 2 Oct 2009

In September 2009, club chairman Ken Bates announced that the club were in talks with Leeds City Council regarding the council re-purchasing the facility from Adler for and leasing it back to the club.{{cite web | archive-url = https://archive.today/20130128011900/http://www.leedsunited.com/news/thorp-arch-statement-20090919_2247585_1800360 | url-status = dead | archive-date = 28 January 2013 | access-date = 2 Oct 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091004162037/http://www.leedsunited.com/news/thorp-arch-agreement-edges-closer-20091002_2247585_1815665 | url-status = dead | archive-date = 4 October 2009 | access-date = 2 Oct 2009

In the summer of 2013 new Leeds United manager Brian McDermott made a series of changes{{cite web|title=Leeds United: Mac has own grounds for concern over Thorp Arch|url=http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/leeds-united/latest-whites-news/leeds-united-mac-has-own-grounds-for-concern-over-thorp-arch-1-5753396

Facilities

The Grange, which was only operational by the club from its opening in the early nineties until the turn of the Millennium, accommodated the academy players, offices and changing rooms.

The site has eight full-size grass pitches and two all-weather pitches. Several of the pitches are floodlit.

The Barn, which replaced The Grange in 2002, contains a reception, a café, offices and changing rooms. It also houses the following top-class facilities:

• Indoor pitch: this is primarily used by the academy players. The pitch features artificial turf and is heated.
• Physiotherapy rooms: there are two physio rooms, one for the first team and one for the academy.
• Bio science room: this room is used for player medicals, science testing, preventative screens and academy muscular evaluations.
• Rehabilitation room: in this room, assessment work and activities such as basketball take place to help players who are recovering from an injury. The room features a sprung floor for jumping work.
• Gym: the gym is used for general player fitness as well as rehabilitation.
• Wet area: the wet area features a massage jacuzzi, a hydrotherapy pool and swimming pool which is used for rehabilitation and recuperation.

References