FINDING places to train, especially during the winter months, has been a perennial problem for Worcester City.

As well as St George’s Lane, we have been to Studley and used pitches at Worcester’s Perdiswell Leisure Centre this season.

However, in recent weeks we have been using the 3G surface at Pershore High School and we are hoping to open discussions about making that situation permanent.

Ideally, I don’t like to train on the pitch at the Lane at all but, in reality, we have to do that from time to time.

With Evesham United playing there as well, there have been times when it’s being used all week and that’s far too much. It’s a tough job for the groundstaff as it is without us training on it as well.

The pitch takes a hammering at this time of year but hopefully when it dries out later in the season we will be able to use it without causing too much damage.

It’s been a real problem trying to find a training facility in Worcester and that has been the case for many years, hence the need to train at the Lane from time to time.

The facilities in Worcester are all block-booked for groups such as junior teams so it’s become a weekly chore ringing venues trying to get a slot.

It has to be a floodlit grass facility, which is hard to find, or a rubber-crumb surface because the old sand-based astroturfs are not suitable and would result in a number of injuries.

We have a short-term agreement with Pershore High School, which finishes after tonight’s session, and are looking to work with them again next season.

It’s a blessing to get on the 3G pitch in the cold snap because it remains playable throughout the winter.

Without that we would have been struggling so we are grateful to them and to the Worcestershire FA who sub-let the booking to us.

There are benefits for the club having a permanent training base at Pershore and the potential is there for all to see.

We are mindful of where we train to be fair to all the players and we try to keep it as close to Worcester as we can. So, if we could base ourselves at Pershore, the players would know where they were from week to week.

It’s also easy to get to as, from junction six of the M5, it’s 10 minutes to the Lane or to the school.

That’s absolutely ideal for either players from the Gloucester and Cheltenham area, like top-scorer Mike Symons, or those travelling down south.

It ticks all the boxes so fingers crossed we can sort something.

I also have to say that, despite the changing venues, the players have been fantastic throughout the whole season.

They have worked incredibly hard and everything we have asked of them in training they have done with great commitment.