Funding from the Premier League and Football Association (FA) backed Football Foundation has helped to establish a £1.8m (US$2.6m, €2.3m) multi-sport facility in Bolton.

The Bolton Lads and Girls Club facility includes a floodlit third generation artificial grass pitch and a sports pavilion with four changing rooms with disability access, two officials’ changing rooms, a community learning room, a kitchen and office space.

Funding – £400,000 (US$575,134, €507,811) of which came via the Football Foundation – has enabled the club to transform its former natural turf playing field into a centre where people can play football, cricket, rounders and hockey.

Working in partnership with the Lancashire FA, the club secured funding with its five-year football development plan. Over the next five years the amount of football played on the site is expected to double with the Bolton Wanderers Community Trust delivering initiatives there.

Former Bolton Wanderers manager Sam Allardyce and BBC pundit Mark Lawrenson officially opened the facility.

“Investment in grassroots facilities such as this is imperative as improving the sports provision for local communities has to be a priority,” said Allardyce. “The Football Foundation deserves great credit for investing in important projects like this in areas where they will have the biggest impact.”