A STATE-of-the-art stadium for Worcester City Football Club could help fuel city-wide sporting developments.

Promoting and improving sports facilities in disadvantaged communities is just one of the driving ambitions which forged the Worcester Sports Partnership.

After the launch of its 2002 strategy last week, Terry Dillingham, assistant principal at Worcester College of Technology, one of the partners, outlined the scheme's aims.

He believes having a 6,000-seater stadium in Nunnery Way would give up-and-coming footballers something to aspire to.

"Its all about coming together and trying to work together to promote better facilities for all sports," said Mr Dillingham.

"Football is just one of many sporting areas we are trying to improve - there are lots of pitches in Worcester and many are sub-standard.

"If developing the skills of young people is paramount, then we need decent grounds for them to train and play.

"We have students at college who play for Worcester City at St George's Lane.

"If they knew they were going to play in first class facilities, which a new stadium would bring, I believe it would bring on further local talent."

£3m has already been secured by the group, which is set to refurbish Perdiswell Leisure Centre, Nunnery Wood Sports Complex and Worcester Swimming Pool and Fitness Centre.

Other priorities outlined by the group include the development of King George V playing fields in Brickfields, developing sports facilities in Battenhall, upgrading St John's Sports Centre and city soccer facilities.

Council wards which would benefit from the outlined priorities include St Barnabas and Holy Trinity, which sit in the top 20 per cent of the most deprived wards in the country.

Mr Gillingham said a small working group was already running to put together a first draft for one of the bids.

"Lots of the areas we have to improve are deprived inner city areas and there are pockets of depressed areas in Worcester.

"Hopefully we can begin to initiate change."

The city and county councils, University College Worcester, the city's six form college and college of technology form the alliance which was developed in association with Sport England two years ago.