SUNDERLAND striker Luke Molyneux has opened a new all-seater covered stand at Shildon AFC.

The footballer, who is currently on loan to Gateshead Football Club, visited the club on Friday, September 21.

The new stand was made possible by a £57,027 grant from the Premier League, which has been delivered by the Football Stadia Improvement Fund (FSIF).

The investment has enabled Shildon AFC, who play at Step 5 in the EBAC Northern League, Division One, to install the new 200-capacity stand that is fully compliant with current safety legislation.

As official partner of Shildon AFC, the Sunderland AFC Foundation of Light Academy also play at the site and will benefit from the improvements.

The stand will enhance spectator experience for followers of Shildon AFC’s development centre in which teams from the age of six attend to play in football tournaments.

The club was formed in 1890.

Chairman David Dent, said: “The fantastic support from the Football Stadia Improvement Fund and the Premier League has given the Club a very real opportunity to be the best we can be and the chance to progress to Step 4 and hopefully beyond.

"The stand is a massive piece of the jigsaw in terms of ground improvements required for the next level of the National League and it undoubtedly improves spectator experience."

He added: "Finally, a big thank you to Luke Molyneux, an exciting young talent, from Sunderland AFC, who has officially opened our new stand.

"Luke spent a lot of his childhood in Shildon, literally a stone’s throw from the ground and it’s good to see that he hasn’t forgotten his Shildon roots.”

Peter McCormick, chairman of the FSIF, said: “My congratulations go to Shildon AFC for their efforts throughout this project, which will hopefully help them to secure promotion to Step 4.

"The FSIF, thanks to investment from the Premier League, works hard to support clubs as they work to move up through the game and this is a great example of what that money can achieve.

“I hope that Shildon AFC are able to make the most of their ground improvements and that their fans enjoy the new, more comfortable spectator provision.

"I’m sure that this project will support the club in further growth, both through developing their players and encouraging more locals to come along for fixtures.”