'No excuses' for Stoke City players after plans revealed for multi-million pound training ground

ITV News Central's sport correspondent Dan Salisbury-Jones reports.

Stoke City players will have "no excuses" after the biggest financial investment since the club built its stadium in the 1990s, according to its director.

Today plans were announced for a £10-12m training ground development - with more space for the first team, academy and women.

At the current training facility, which was only built 15 years ago, Vice-Chairman Richard Smith told me his vision.

He said: "Especially with the growth of women's football, we felt that it was time that we perhaps looked at building something new and the solution that we came up with was that we would build a new facility for our first team.

"We're investing about £10 million and then, when we'd completed that, we're going to refurbish the building that we're sitting in now. So that will be for the academy and the women's team going forward."

He also explained why it makes sense for the club to invest in this way, rather than splashing out on a new striker.

"Well, it's an interesting question. When we're working with the profit and sustainability rules that we're all governed by in the EFL, when we are investing in our infrastructure, it doesn't count in the same way towards how you're judged in terms of your profitability. Whereas if you invest in the team, it counts straightaway."

Stoke City Sporting Director Jon Walters told me: "To have a new £12 million building, state of the art, on site is phenomenal. It's a huge draw for players, staff members alike... there's no excuses whatsoever. You have the best facility around."

The building will be ready in September 2025 - they will hope to have a Premier League squad using it.

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