BRIDGWATER Town Football Club is 'looking at opportunities' to redevelop its stadium as part of an ambitious plan to make progress on and off the field.

The club is based at Fairfax Park, off Bath Road, but a lot of the infrastructure at the ground has become 'outmoded', according to club stalwart Bob Buckingham.

Mr Buckingham is taking over as chairman from Adrian Byrne, as part of the process of moving the club towards becoming a limited company under the control of Adam Murry, the former co-owner of AFC Bournemouth.

Mr Murry led the financial rescue of Bournemouth after the club was placed in administration and appointed Eddie Howe as manager, who oversaw the team's rise from the foot of League 2 to the Premier League.

Since then he has taken over Yeovil United (formerly Yeovil Town Ladies/Women), who train at Bridgwater & Taunton College, and last year he was on the lookout for a new club with the potential to make progress.

When he arrived the club, Murry said: “There is a lot of untapped potential and I am delighted to be able to support the club going forward.

"It’s a great club with a loyal fanbase that I hope will judge us on what we do for the club and the local area in the coming years.”

The club has already announced plans to launch a youth academy this year and said Mr Buckingham said the club is currently looking for opportunities to develop the stadium.

Mr Buckingham said: "We have continued to operate in a stadium not designed to last as long as it has, from the late 1980s and early 1990s.

"We've been patching it up but we hope to be in a position to change.

"We are looking at opportunities to develop the stadium to replace the outmoded accommodation - the clubhouse and changing rooms - which is past its sell-by-date, and we are seeking finance to achieve that."

Mr Buckingham some 'cosmetic' changes have already taken place at the ground including more modern graphics being installed at the turnstiles.

He said Hinkley Point C and Gravity projects in Bridgwater show that the town's population is only going to increase in the future and this is something the club will look to capitalise on.

"We think the potential is enormous," Mr Buckingham said.

"Our average gate was 230 last season, and is the same this season despite [crowds] being restricted by Covid-19.

"Subject to success on the field, we believe there's no reason that we can't double that average crowd to 400-500 people.

"The key is getting people excited about what's happening on the pitch."