Gillingham Football Club's Centre of Excellence returns in full for the 2008/09 season on Tuesday 5 August. This is the date that the clubs Under 9's to Under 14's return for pre-season training. The Under 15's and Under 16's having already returned on Tuesday 1 July (at the same time as the full time players in the Youth Team).

The centre is based at the University of Kent in Canterbury where the centre was moved to in 2006 from its previous Medway base.

The facilities, including a high quality "3^rd Generation" Astroturf (the same as England played in Moscow last season) are exceptional, and are set to improve with the opening of new changing rooms, as well as recreational and meeting room areas next year alongside the current grass and artificial pitches.

Centre of Excellence Manager Bryan Bull explained, "The facilities at the University are already better than anything we can find in the Medway area. This will be our 3^rd season there and the benefits of having 2 artificial pitches so that all our age groups can train at the same time and on the same evenings cannot be over stated.

When the new Sports Pavilion is built the off field facilities will more than match the on field ones. We have an excellent relationship with the University which we hope will continue for many years to come".

Pictured above are the 2 all weather surfaces and grass pitch areas.

To visit the University's website click on University of Kent