DRESSING rooms and spectator toilets are the final parts required for football to return to Claines Lane following the installation of floodlights.

Worcestershire FA football development manager Martin Collier confirmed the lights, which had to be up and operational by Monday (September 30) for tenants Worcester Raiders to comply with FA rules, had been fitted and passed testing.

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A concrete base for a stand has also been put in but no other facilities were present when Worcester News visited on Wednesday (October 2).

The county association's redevelopment of the site, which will also become its permanent headquarters, comes with special permission from the FA for Raiders not to have ground grading regulations enforced for now.

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Under normal circumstances they would need the H grade as a minimum entry to the West Midlands (Regional) League (WMRL) Premier Division.

Clubs must then attain the G grade by March 31 in the first season following promotion, which includes covered accommodation for 100 people, 50 of which must be seated and in one stand.

The permission means there only needs to be dressing rooms with showers and toilets for players and match officials as well as separate toilets for spectators in place for Raiders to temporarily return home having played 10 matches on the road to date.

Chairperson Wendy Juggins confirmed WMRL officials would visit ahead of Raiders playing there for the first time this season and that the league had "not been told anything different" when asked if the first fixture would take place as scheduled on Saturday, October 12.

"Worcestershire FA and Worcester Raiders know what they need to have to play their first match," said Juggins.

"There needs to be dressing rooms for the players, dressing rooms for the match officials and spectator toilets. Anything that is dangerous to the general public has to be roped off with no access."

Collier said the stand would be delivered and fitted tomorrow (Friday) "provided there are no complications" and indicated the temporary facilities would be taken care of by Raiders.

That is unlikely to include catering facilities which Collier said "don't necessarily have to be on site", something later confirmed by Juggins.

Worcestershire FA had been due to begin work on a new 3G pitch, floodlights and new changing and office facilities in May with chief executive Nichola Trigg aiming to have the site "operational for football by the end of September, beginning of October".

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In August Trigg said Worcestershire FA planned to vacate its current offices in Hampton Lovett, Droitwich, in December.

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"Everything else is where we want it to be," Collier added.

"We will be out of here, because we have sold Craftsman House, by December."

Collier indicated he could not comment on whether Worcestershire County Council's sale of the land at Claines Lane to Worcestershire FA had gone through.

Raiders chairman Kevin Jenkins was unavailable for comment.