PENARTH Hockey Club will make a long-awaited return to an old stomping ground this weekend as it inaugurates the new Astroturf facility at Stanwell Comprehensive School.

After a long absence from the town – which took in a two-decade nomadic wander between venues as far afield as Leckwith, Mountain Ash and Barry – the club now has a new permanent home following the concerted effort to build a state-of-the-art artificial surface at Stanwell.

Many years after a thwarted first attempt to bring hockey back to the school, which used to play host to the Penarth teams on its Red-Gra pitches prior to the game’s worldwide switch to artificial turf, preparation work for the sand-based facility finally began before Christmas, with the finishing touches added by South Wales Sports Grounds in the last few weeks in readiness for the grand opening over the August Bank Holiday weekend.

The new pitch will be inaugurated by a game between a Penarth Hockey Club select XI and a Stanwell Old Boys team making its competitive debut after forming for the occasion. The ceremonial opening will be performed by former Welsh Hockey Association and current PHC president, Alan Carter, who also has long-standing links with Stanwell, where he spent much of his teaching career before becoming a school governor.

Another stalwart member of the Stanwell staff, former international umpire David Gale, will officiate the game alongside PHC vice-president Colin Crayford who, like Carter, has held several notable positions in the sport, including technical official for the International Hockey Federation and executive officer of the Welsh Hockey Umpires Association.

Although exact line-ups remain fluid, both sides are expected to feature players who have earned international honours at both junior and senior levels, while the Stanwell side will bring back pupils from the past 40 years, including some of those who took the school to South Wales and Welsh Cup honours in the 1970s and ‘80s.

Securing a pitch within a stone’s throw of the club’s spiritual home at Penarth Athletic Club is a key part of new chairman Nick Pratt’s ambitious '20:20 Vision’. The recent acquisition of coach Ben Croxall kick-started the programme, which not only aims to return PHC to four senior sides and re-establish strong youth and veteran set-ups, but also to propel the club back amongst Wales’ hockey elite.

"Penarth Hockey Club are eternally grateful to the headmaster of Stanwell School, Derek Jones, as well as the governors, Clare Kynaston and all at the school whose foresight and persistence have resulted in the establishment of this fantastic facility, not only for the students of Stanwell School but for the wider community and, of course, Penarth Hockey Club,” Pratt said.

“This pitch, together with the resurgence of hockey as a sport at the school, can only serve to strengthen the links between Stanwell and Penarth Hockey Club that have existed for many decades, and be a catalyst for the club's 20:20 Vision of becoming one of the top four clubs in Wales again.

“Personally, I am delighted to be a part of this opening event, even though I will be wearing many 'hats' - chairman of Penarth Hockey Club, captain of the Stanwell Old Boys team and former captain of one of the most successful school sides of the 1970s. I was one of the last to play on the old Red-Gra and one of the last to play on the grass at the nearby Athletic Club, so it is an absolute delight and privilege to be amongst the first to play on the new pitch - and to be coming home after so many years away."

Following the ceremonial opening, Stanwell will begin life as Penarth Hockey Club’s official home as the 1st XI continue their pre-season preparations by hosting Cardiff & Met on September 5. A combined 2nd/3rd XI will then get its chance to sample the surface with a game against Whitchurch the following weekend.

Saturday’s activities will commence with the official opening at 1.30pm with the game between Penarth and Stanwell scheduled to start at 2pm. Post-match celebrations will continue at Penarth Athletic Club. Current, former and prospective players are encouraged to attend in support of both PHC and Stanwell.

Penarth Hockey Club always welcomes new, old and returning players, umpires, supporters, friends and helpers regardless of age and ability. Pre-season training currently takes place at Penarth Athletic Club between 7.30 and 8.30pm on Wednesdays, and will continue for juniors and seniors under lights at Stanwell once the season gets underway.

Anyone interested in joining the club at senior or youth level can contact either player-coach Ben Croxall (b_croxall20@yahoo.co.uk) or club secretary Dave Stevens (d_stevens81@hotmail.co.uk) for further information.