WHEN the new Peninsula League season gets underway, supporters will be able to view Liskeard Athletic’s Lux Park in an improved light after the erection of the club’s new floodlights.

The £47,000 project has been made possible by substantial grants from Sport England, the Football Foundation, and also some funding from Liskeard Town Council and the club itself.

The lights have been hauled into position, and when they were switched on for the first time last month, they emphasised what a magnificent job Bert Bulmer – who recently celebrated his 85th birthday – has done on the Lux Park pitch after the ravages of the winter storms.

Club president Dick Collins was there 43 years ago when the previous set of floodlights was first switched on.

The occasion was celebrated with a friendly against Bristol City, who were captained by former England and Leeds United defender Norman Hunter, who sadly passed away recently after contracting coronavirus.

‘I was there when the old lights were switched on 43 years ago, and I was secretary of the club then,’ recalled Dick.

‘It is credit to the hard work of Roger Williams, and we are lucky to have a chairman like him as he and Bert Bulmer spend hours and hours working up at the ground.

‘We had Bristol City down for the switch-on and we had to pay them in pound notes, we had to rally around and get the money together!

‘It was a wonderful night, but we had torrential rain before the game and we were worried about it not going ahead.’

Dick is delighted with the work that has been done at the club during lockdown to get the place ready for the new campaign.

‘The pitch is looking marvellous and 85-year-old Bert has done us proud,’ he said.

‘Brian Hodge, who used to be our manager years ago when we won the Western League, said in all the years he has been associated with Liskeard, he has never seen the pitch looking so good.

‘I know a lot of pitches are good at the moment because they haven’t been played on due to coronavirus, but our pitch has got a wonderful base on it and plenty of grass, and Bert has put on a load of fertiliser, and under the new lights it looks unbelievable.’

The Blues have returned to training, and were delighted to see key duo, midfielder Jack Podmore and striker James Lorenz, fit to take part after their recent injuries problems.

Having those two back will be like two fresh signings for the Blues ahead of the new campaign in the Premier West Division.