Torfaen loses 30 council-owned football pitches since 2009 - the joint second-worst decline in Wales

More than 80 council football pitches have been lost in Wales since 2010, research by GMB Union reveals.

In 2009/10 Torfaen had 38 council-owned pitches, but this number has plummeted to just eight in 2017/18 - down 30 pitches and tied with Carmarthenshire in second place in the pitch-loss rankings for Wales.

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A spokesperson for Blaenavon Blues, one of the teams affected by the cuts, said: “The biggest impact for a club like ours is a lack of suitable maintenance equipment. We have to cut and maintain four pitches in Blaenavon and have done for a number of years.

“To buy suitable mowers costs thousands of pounds and we currently don't have anything suitable but are applying for grants.

“Another massive issue in Blaenavon and north Torfaen is a lack of 3G floodlit facilities. There's only one in Torfaen at Cwmbran and it's one of the most expensive in Gwent.

“For our teams from under-5s through to men's teams we have to travel out of town. We travel out of town for training during the winter months to Abergavenny or Ebbw Vale.”

All of the other Gwent regions – Newport, Caerphilly, Monmouthshire and Blaenau Gwent – have remained at the same level. Caerphilly has actually gained three pitches.

There were 82 fewer local authority-owned or operated football pitches in the financial year 2017/18 than there were in 2009/10.

The figures come from a Freedom of Information request made by the GMB to all local authorities in Britain.

Tim Roache, GMB General Secretary said: "Councils have had their funding cut in half since 2010 - they're struggling to fund the basics and keep the show on the road.

“We're living through an unprecedented decade in Welsh football where Cardiff and Swansea have flown the flag for Wales in the Premier league, Newport County have returned to the football league and of course the unforgettable Euro 2016 odyssey for the national side."

“Just contrast that with this sorry state of affairs at grassroots, where opportunities for the next generation of players are being trashed.”

The Blaenavon Blues spokesperson said: “I don't think this (that the next generation is being ‘trashed’) is something we would agree with.

“Our numbers continue to grow, but it does put a massive strain on volunteers, coaches and committees, as well as a massive financial burden.”

Leroy Rosenior, former West Ham, Fulham and QPR striker, said: “It’s a national tragedy that fewer and fewer kids will have a place to play as a result of short-sighted cuts, putting efforts to open football up to more youngsters and develop diverse, welcoming and healthy sporting communities in jeopardy.”

Torfaen County Borough Councillor Fiona Cross, executive member for the environment, said: “The council hasn’t reduced the number of pitches that it owns. It has in fact retained ownership but agreed leases with individual clubs. This allows clubs to retain the subscriptions from its members as the council does not charge a rent or pitch hire where pitches are leased in this way. The club will then maintain the pitch itself under the terms of the lease.

“Even though the Blaenavon Blues have highlighted (that due to the lease) they’ve had to take on extra responsibility, they’ve also been able to make ground improvements that would have otherwise been unlikely if they weren’t being leased."