Wednesday 6th August 2025

8th August marks ten years to the day since Royal Wootton Bassett Town played their first ever fixture at the New Gerard Buxton Sports Ground.

A Hellenic League Premier Division opening day clash against Brackley Town Saints, the game itself was not especially memorable, with a Steve Olphert goal earning Bassett a share of the spoils in a 1-1 draw.

But, marking the beginning of a new era, it will forever be a significant day in our club's history and an occasion that deserves to be marked.

A decade into life at the New Gerard Buxton Sports Ground, the facility remains one we can all rightly be proud of.

The stadium pitch is one of the best grass pitches in the south west, the external pitches offer fantastic surfaces for our youth teams, while the AGP - consistently in use throughout the week - allows for all sides to train at the one facility with external use providing income that helps ensure the Sports Association delivers on its mission to provide affordable and sustainable sporting and social facilities to the local community.

And the new facility has served to benefit the club, with the youth and girls section continuing to grow and our thriving Veterans section having come into existence in the last decade.

Indeed, the Sports Association is currently developing two 9x9 youth pitches for use from the 2026-27 season on adjoining land it now owns, offering the opportunity for further growth.

While the original site at Rylands Way had its charm, such growth would simply not have occurred had the relocation to the new ground not taken place.

All other members of the Sports Association - the cricket, tennis, running and pétanque clubs - have benefited significantly from the relocation too with all having grown and being in rich health.

And all this would not have been possible were it not for the tireless work of the Sports Association relocation committee over many years. Their efforts and sacrifice, all carried out on a voluntary basis, meant the town got a sporting facility befitting of the 21st century. As a club, we will forever be thankful for what they did.

Since moving in, volunteers from across the Sports Association and its constituent clubs - as well as groundsman Andy Clinch - have ensured the facility remains in outstanding shape.

That in itself is no easy task - and both the Football Club and Sports Association are always looking for new volunteers who can assist and help make it possible to deliver outstanding sporting opportunities for the people in our great town and the surrounding area.

Last modified on Wednesday 6th August 2025 at 08:00.