Premier League Stadium Fund helps Ingles to see the light

Massive help

Chairman Adam Smith says the savings have enabled the club – who have received a total of £80,000 to improve their Homestead Ground – to flourish.

“Because of the new lights, we’ve been able to offer more to the community,” Smith, a former player for the Midlands-based team, said.

“We’ve been able to start inclusive sessions at night time, which sees around 50 kids each Thursday use the ground.

“The Premier League Stadium Fund has been massive for the club. It’s enabled us to develop the ground.

“Without the Premier League funding it’s very hard to find the money.”

Ingles’ inclusive team launched in summer 2025 and runs throughout the year due to the money saved from running more reliable, cost-effective lighting.

It hosts local children with disabilities or additional needs each week, with training delivered by SEN-trained volunteers.

“I’ve been and coached at the inclusive team a few times,” first-team manager Adam Boulter said.

Warming feeling

“To see their faces playing football as part of a community is really warming.

“It’s great to have that community feeling here. It’s down to having this facility with the lights where people can come and play, and that wasn’t an option before.

“When we took over the [Homestead Ground] facility four years ago it was pretty run down, after no club had played here for 15 years.

“There was lots of shrubbery around, the railings were up, the old floodlights didn’t light the pitch up very well.

“The pitch has come on leaps and bounds and we’ve done a lot of work. It’s great to see the facilities get better year on year and we’ve seen that reflected in the attendances.

“I think what makes England such a great place for football is the impact of the whole pyramid. I don’t think you have that anywhere else in the world, so seeing that funding find its way down is amazing.

“That really is the difference and what makes football in the UK so special.”

Cutting costs

The Premier League, who have distributed more than £215million to over 1,000 clubs since 2000, launched its LED Floodlight Fund in 2023 with the aim of helping all clubs in the men’s and women’s pyramid to make the switch.

Grants of 70 per cent of the total project clubs are available so clubs can use 50 per cent less energy than older metal halide systems.

As well as reducing carbon emissions and energy bills, they require less maintenance.

Premier League Director of Community Nick Perchard said: “We’ve funded 280 so far and have funding available for all National League System clubs to change from their old systems to these new LED lights.

“They’re saving up to 50 per cent in energy.

“That’s a huge cost reduction, it’s a reduction in carbon and ultimately it’s about trying to make sure these clubs have as few costs as possible so they can carry on their incredible work.”