West Ham's Bowen helps former club Hereford over pitch issues
England footballer Jarrod Bowen is to help pay for a much-needed new drainage system at non-league Hereford FC - the club he signed for 12 years ago. Wet weather earlier this year has plagued the club's pitch, and meant the team had to play home fixtures in Redditch and Worcester as postponed games piled up. Bowen, who signed for the club - formerly Hereford United - in 2014 and whose uncle is the groundsman, said it was important to have consistent homes games, adding he wanted "to give something back".
Bulls chairman Chris Ammonds thanked the West Ham captain, from Leominster, for his support, and said the contributions would make a huge difference. Last month, fans rejoiced at the news that the National League North club could return to using its Edgar Street pitch, having last played on it on 10 January. In a statement on the club website, Bowen, who made his senior England debut in 2022, said the work - also paid for by founding shareholders - would start in the off season and be completed in time for the 2026-27 campaign.
"The substantial period of poor weather this winter and the poor drainage issues with the pitch which has resulted in numerous postponements has caused the groundsman (my Uncle Ben) this season a serious challenge," Bowen's statement read. "Not only is it important for Hereford FC to be playing consistent home games on a well maintained surface at Edgar Street but for me it's also vitally important for the youth of Herefordshire to play their traditional finals on the pitch. "I've been lucky enough to have played on the pitch as a junior in these finals and as a senior player at the very start of my professional career, but it was those moments as a child that still hold fondest memories for me and the family.
"I feel it's a fantastic opportunity for myself to give something back to not only the club but the community that gave me an opportunity within football. " Ammonds said the club had endured a "difficult few months" dealing with pitch drainage issues that, he added, could not have been predicted and were unavoidable. "It is also very pleasing that [addressing the issues] will have a very positive impact on junior football across Herefordshire, something we are very keen to support as we understand how rewarding it is for the county's youngsters to earn the chance to play at Edgar Street.
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