Stevie G tours new football academy he has inspired

FORMER England and Liverpool footballer Steven Gerrard was “hugely impressed” during a surprise visit to a new sporting facility named after him.

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The football legend paid a flying visit to Hickings Lane Recreation Ground in Stapleford, where the Steven Gerrard Academy is being built as part of a multi-million pound regeneration project.

The academy will be one of only seven in the UK, offering a broad range of pathways for students aged 16-plus, including football, employment, and university opportunities.

After a detailed inspection of the pavilion and pitches with the site construction team, Mr Gerrard said: “I'm hugely impressed by progress here. A huge amount of work has gone into this development - the building, the 3G pitches and all the areas around them.

“You can see that completion is not so far away now and it’s going to be an exciting time for Stapleford and for the Steven Gerrard Academy.