“Been a long time coming”… Celtic’s multi-million-pound infrastructure investment is talked up

Celtic hopes to transform their Barrowfield training facility into a centre of excellence for the club’s youth and women’s football programmes. They have been promoting this project.

At the location, construction is well under way following a protracted planning process.
Prior to Glasgow City Council approving the complex’s construction in late 2021, the project was first announced in 2019.

The Scottish Daily Mail revealed in August of last year that Celtic was investing up to £20 million in the new facilities, which include both grass outdoor pitches and a full-size indoor football pitch.

The club is making a sizable investment as manager Brendan Rodgers prepares to lead the team into a new phase of youth development.
Stephen McManus on Celtic Academy’s “massive plus”

Stephen McManus, a former captain and Celtic B coach, is thrilled with the effort being made on the new centre.

“It’s a massive plus not just for the Academy but for the whole football club,” he said in an interview with Celtic TV. For many, it has been a long time coming. You can see how the game has changed; as many people are aware, a redesign is long overdue. Looking at the plans, you can tell this is going to be an amazing facility that deserves a lot of recognition.

Living here in the winter, there’s one thing you can always count on: the temperature will drop and the pitches will eventually freeze. Because the B team and the other teams in the academy have to practise even in extremely challenging weather, having an indoor facility that can host 11-a-side games is crucial. Upon examining the largest clubs worldwide, one finds that each one has an indoor space. It’s a huge benefit for the football team.

“I believe it’s critical to have a training area with a view of the stadium. It’s critical and extremely important for young players. Barrowfield was exactly the same when I first walked here in 1998, and it remained so when I returned in 2019. Though football moves quickly, there is a lot of history, so it’s critical that we keep up and have a facility of which we can be very proud. When it is completed, it will be with the elite of Europe.

Celtic establish the groundwork for future prosperity

McManus goes beyond club PR with his enthusiastic assessment of the new centre. He thinks that both the club and the young players rising through the ranks have benefited greatly from this.

Additionally, Celtic FC Women will frequently use it, and if the weather at Lennoxtown is bad enough to affect training, the first team may even use it.

According to McManus, Celtic’s investment in club infrastructure was long overdue, as the previous facilities had not changed in decades. I hope this is a project that yields benefits for many years to come.