FORMER Wales and Liverpool striker Ian Rush was in Newport yesterday as work started on the new home of Welsh football in Spytty.

Contractor ISG moved in the diggers to start work on the £5 million national football development centre, which the Football Association of Wales hopes will boost the game in Wales.

Mr Rush, élite performance director of project partners the Welsh Football Trust, was there to oversee the start of work with deputy mayor John Guy.

The football legend said: “It is fantastic to be here to witness the start of a project that is going to make a massive difference to the development of football in Wales, at all levels.

“Having access to state-ofthe art training facilities right up through the age groups, as well as the improved back-room infrastructure, is only going to enhance the chances of Wales achieving success on the world stage.”

Preparation work on the development w i t h i n N e w p o r t International Sports Village started earlier this year.

Once completed the facility will house the FAW’s office and administration headquarters, along with a 100-seat conference centre and meeting-rooms.

It will have outdoor pitches, including a FIFA 2-Star artificial pitch, which local clubs and community groups will be allowed to use.

It will also have changingrooms, physiotherapy and treatment rooms with an ice bath, a players’ room, and a high-tech video analysis suite and viewing balcony overlooking the pitches.

Funding of £2.6m for the project has already been secured from football governing bodies UEFA and FIFA, with a further £1.5m coming from the FAW Trust and Sport Wales.

Completion of pitches is expected in September and staff are expected to move into the main building in February next year.