MORE than £20m could be injected into football facilities in Wrexham as part of a new vision set out by community leaders.

There are currently a number of projects in the pipeline across the county borough, including the regeneration of Wrexham AFC’s Racecourse Ground, with plans for a new 5,000-seat stand at the Kop end.

Meanwhile, the town’s museum has been announced as the preferred site for a new national football museum.

Wrexham Council has now joined forces with the Football Association of Wales and Glyndwr University to set out its ambitions for all sports facilities, including at grassroots level.

It follows approximately £4m being spent on creating the new National Football Development Centre at Colliers Park in Gresford.

The local authority’s chief executive Ian Bancroft said the plans would also have a wider benefit for the area’s economy.

He said: “What we’re seeing is other people beginning to take up the banner that Wrexham quite rightly should be the place to base things football wise because it is the spiritual home of Welsh football.

“It’s over £6m in through these projects already and I would anticipate we could potentially get over £20m in the future.

“That’s how significant this is in terms of generating funding and investment around these key projects.

“The other thing the document points out is clearly it’s not just about football.

“The effect on the economy, the effect on tourism, the effect on footfall for the town centre are all really critical.

“Although football is at the heart of this and the heart of Wrexham, it has much more impact than just from a football perspective.”

Around £400,000 worth of investment has been earmarked for council-run facilities.

It will result in the creation of two community football hubs for local teams, with improved pitches at Ysgol Clywedog on Ruthin Road.

A joint hub will also be established at both Ysgol Rhiwabon and Ysgol y Grango for clubs in the south of the county.

Council leader Mark Pritchard said the goal was for all schools to have access to 3G pitches.

He said: “We had a pot of money from the Welsh Government and we’re going to put extra money into 3G pitches.

“Our aspirations are to have a 3G pitch in every secondary school – that’s the bluntness of it.

“The most important thing is that those 3G pitches are open when the school closes so that the community can use them.”

The vision document will go to executive board members for approval tomorrow.