A REVAMPED ten-acre site at Millfield Lane in Nether Poppleton will be formally opening its doors to the community as Poppleton Junior Football Club launch their new Football Foundation funded project on Saturday.

A Foundation cash boost has allowed the construction of five new pitches which are greatly needed by the club, which has a membership of 290 young people aged from six to 17.

With their brand new pitches, the club hope to expand membership particular among girls and players aged under ten years old.

The new-look site will host girls only football festivals - the first on Sunday - and links will be developed with local primary schools.

Football holiday courses and tournaments will also be established.

The club decided seven years ago that it needed to expand and move from itsprevious site at the village Community Centre and in 2002 obtained their new field from City of York Council.

The Football Foundation is the nation's largest sports charity with more than £200million already invested into the heart of football.

Peter Lee, Chief Executive of the Foundation, said: "The community in and around Poppleton now have some of the best facilities in the area and I am delighted the Foundation has been able to play a significant role in providing a new generation with facilities for footballers of all ages and abilities."

Local dignitaries, including Vale of York MP Anne McIntosh, will join junior footballers at the site at 11am on Saturday for the launch of the Poppleton project.

The following day, Poppleton will host a big tournament for girl footballers, starting at 10am.

The Connexions York Girls League six-a-side competition comes at the end of the League's third season.

A total of 27 teams from 12 different clubs will battle it out in four age groups ranging from under tens to under 17s. The finals will take place at 3pm.

Among the sides will be York's newest girls' team who will be playing in their first ever match.

Hamilton Panthers under-12s - York's the first ever girls team to join the Charter Standard club's ranks - have been formed by Westfield Primary teacher Robert Pearson.

The team is made up of players from two successful teams at the primary school with other girls also in the mix and they already have the backing of shirt sponsor Bell's of York Removals and Stores with a secondary sponsor waiting in the wings to seal the deal.

Pearson said: "Everything has moved so fast. We literally had the shirts for the girls before we had the girls."

A total of 14 ten and 11-year-olds have already pledged their support to the team, and it is hoped they will be accepted into the York Connexions League.

Every week, as well as the league fixture, Pearson is hoping to set up a second match so everyone has a chance to play, and if things continue to go well, further teams at under ten and under-14 level could later be introduced.

Pearson, who also runs the under-sevens boys team at Hamilton Panthers, is looking for help running the teams. Anyone interested can email robertprsn@aol.com or call 07904 107763.

Updated: 08:32 Friday, June 18, 2004