Finch Farm

Finch Farm is the training ground for Everton F.C., in the Knowsley suburb of Halewood. The football academy is also on site.

The School of Science is the nickname given to the complex by some supporters, referring to a long-standing nickname for the club. The training ground houses both the Everton first team and the youth academy. The first team squad officially moved to the complex on 9 October 2007, sometime behind the target date of pre-season. Finch Farm was acquired in 2006 by Everton FC from Cheshire County Council. The land was sold on for £2.1million and then developed to the club’s specification by developers ROM Capital (an arm of the aAim Group). On completion, Finch Farm was valued by ROM Capital at £17M. Everton signed a 50 year tenancy agreement with ROM Capital for Finch Farm. Everton have an option to purchase the site after 5 years.

Description

The facility boasts some of the finest training facilities in the world, and features 10 full-size grass pitches on three plateaus, one of which is a floodlit along with an additional floodlit synthetic pitch and specialist training areas for fitness work and goalkeepers, as well as an exact recreation of the pitch at Goodison Park. Inside the training complex there are extensive changing facilities for both the senior squad and the Academy players. The state-of-the-art facilities on offer will arguably make Everton a big draw for future signings and should also provide a boost in the development of the Club's Academy players, with the facilities including the following:

*Gym
*Synthetic indoor training pitch
*Hydrotherapy pools
*Spa
*Sauna
*Physiotherapy rooms
*Media centre
*Video lounges including a video editing suite.

Trivia

* Everton's original training ground Bellefield was built in 1965 and has lasted 41 years
* Some residents of Halewood objected to the new academy being built on Finch Farm as it is on greenbelt land.
* The academy cost £9.5 million to build - one of the most expensive in the country.
* Everton originally tried to find land in Liverpool but eventually settled on the 55 acre site, off Higher Road and Finch Lane in Halewood.

Gallery

Current Academy players

External links

* [http://academy.evertonfc.com/ The Everton Way - Everton Academy Online]
* [http://www.efcsa.org/news/FinchFarm.htm Everton Shareholds Association - are given tour of Finch Farm]
* [http://www.nsno.co.uk/230p-Everton_Academy_2007_2008.html Information about the academy from NSNO]
* [http://www.toffeeweb.com/season/07-08/in-the-wings.asp Information about the academy from ToffeeWeb]
* [http://www.toffeetalk.com/Academy-School-of-Science-f5.html Discussions about the youth teams, results and the future stars from ToffeeTalk]