Celtic’s Barrowfield redevelopment won’t include a stadium used for the B team or Ladies matches.
Michael Nicholson revealed some details of the development when he attended a Fans Forum on Sunday where a number of issues were covered.
The dramatic decline in away ticket allocations was brought up with the Celtic CEO conforming that no away ticket allocation will be given for the December 30 Derby match.
Celtic recently announced a massive overhaul of their Barrowfield Training Complex that will include a full size indoor training pitch upto FIFA standards that will be a base for the Ladies and B team.
There will be associated upgrades to the other facilities at Barrowfield but Health and Safety issues are reported to be preventing the development of a small capacity stadium to host SWPL and Lowland League matches.
Access to the new complex will only be available from London Road, creating a venue for crowds of 3,000 would require significant roadworks but the construction of the indoor arena will also require major roadworks. A small stand would rebrand the complex as an entertainment venue.
Celtic’s B and Ladies teams currently play out of Airdrie’s Excelsior Stadium which is unsatisfactory on a number of levels.
The artificial surface creates artificial matches with both teams rarely playing to crowds of over 500, access to the Excelsior by public transport is virtually non-existent.
Giving both teams a high quality grass pitch would increase the prospects of developing a higher quality of player and make their matches more watchable.
The creation of a full sized indoor training facility at Barrowfield is likely to be of use to the first team during the winter months, the Lennoxtown improvements will be restricted to the dressing rooms and medical facilities.
No price tag has yet been put on the Barrowfield project other than being the biggest capital commitment since the rebuilding of Celtic Park in the nineties. The tendering process will be completed in the next fortnight.
