Ashford United are wasting no time in pressing ahead with the installation of a 3G pitch at Homelands.

Work will start next month on ripping out the grass in an investment costing in the region of £350,000/£400,000 which owner Don Crosbie believes will provide a top class facility for both the club, and the hundreds of youngsters in the United’s youth teams.

Meanwhile the club Ashford Borough Council on Thursday in a final pre-planning meeting ahead of lodging a formal application to build the new wrap-around development, first mooted in the summer of 2008.

Mr Crosbie said: “They are exciting plans. We want to start work on the pitch around mid-May, once all the local cup finals have been completed.

“It will be well worth it. We need it for our senior team and the 300 boys who play for us.”

Plans for a Sport Village were first unveiled seven years ago, only for the long battle for ownership of the club to delay things.

Mr Crosbie added: “The problems I had with my business partner (Tony Betteridge) not wanting to take the club forward has cost us five years.

“The council have had the final details for the past month, and will probably guide us as to whether they like it or not.

“I personally love it and think it’s a fantastic scheme, I can’t see any reasons why anyone would not want it.

“Time is short, I am pushing on with it, we have got good sponsors, and everything is in place.

“It will benefit everybody in Ashford, it is a commercial scheme for us, but it’s for the local community as well. I think when people see it, they will go WOW!”

On the pitch United travel to Fisher on Saturday, with the runners-up spot in the Southern Counties East League still up grabs.

They are a point ahead of Erith & Belvedere who go to Cray Valley - and with a plus six better goal difference.