Tadcaster’s newly-named i2i Stadium has a makeover this summer
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Tadcaster Albion manager Paul Marshall has hailed the improvements to their Ings Lane ground by owners i2i Sports.
Their ground, now renamed i2i Stadium, has had its biggest makeover ever this summer ahead of Tadcaster’s bid to win promotion out of the Toolstation NCEL Premier Division.
The pitch has had major investment put into it and Marshall said: “The pitch is 100% better than what it was like last year and the groundsman we have got now is dedicated to getting it in a brilliant state for us.
“He said to me that it is rubbish now and he’ll have it ready for the start of the season.
“I was just thinking if this is rubbish, it is going to be mint (by then).
“We’ve also got new dugouts, new boards, a new social carpet laid yesterday by Calcaria Carpets.
“The ground’s perfect and I feel proud that I’ve been part of it all.”
The scene at Tadcaster in 2014 is completely different to the one which Marshall walked into in 2008.
The Brewers had been besieged by a series of problems caused by events out of their control.
Led by Marshall, Tadcaster have since fought their way up from the bottom of the NCEL and he added: “It’s unrecognisable now to what it was like when I arrived here as we had just an arson attack and a flood.
“(President) Kevin Derry stood here where we are now (in the social club) after I’d played in a veterans cup final.
“He gave me the sad eyes and said ‘can you come and help us out’? I was like ‘no I’m not going to bother managing anymore’.
“I was going to pack in after being sacked at Bridlington.
“But Kevin persuaded me to come down and the rest is history.”