People living near a Premier League training ground say swearing footballers and blasting music is making their lives a misery.
Wolverhampton Wanderers FC‘s multi-million pound training facility Compton Park sits next to a swanky housing estate where house prices average £430,000. Some homeowners have revealed how they are fed-up living in such close proximity to the club, which has resulted in them complaining to the council.
They say “shouting and swearing” footballers as well as pumping music coming from the academy is shattering the peace and tranquillity of being in their gardens. Loud machinery which mows the pitches most days before 8am also contributes to the “constant” noise and makes them feel like they are “living next to a farm”.
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On top of that, locals claim autograph hunters and the parents of youth players block off driveways and cause traffic chaos while parking up at the ground. The sprawling sports complex, officially named the Sir Jack Hayward Training Ground, has been in use since it opened in 2005 and features five pitches.
One resident, Narinder, lives just 100m away on Newbridge Avenue and said she struggles to park when academy players parents are dropping off. She said: “Overall I don’t mind the presence of the club here but we have had issues with the parents of academy players parking across driveways.
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“When they drop off the players they park across the street and I’ve had to complain to the council a few times times about it.” Another local resident, who did not want to be named, said she had complained multiple times to Wolverhampton City Council about the loud music.
She said: “I have previously complained to the council three times about the music coming from the academy. It can be going on all day until 9pm at night. I’ve even walked past and not seen any players in there, in can just be the coaching staff listening to it.
“And the machinery used for cutting grass starts up before 8am most days and its like living next to a farm. If you’re close enough you can hear all the shouting and swearing from the players as they are running about. It’s not ideal as there’s a school nearby too.
(Image: Joseph Walshe / SWNS)
“It can be hard to get on and off our driveways as you have autograph hunters turning up – combined with the school traffic and teachers parking everywhere. There’s signs up asking fans not to come along for safety reasons – but they still do.
“A lot of training grounds are in rural areas or industrial sites but we have to live alongside it. Part of it is like a large dome and there’s also this awful noise which I think must be air-conditioning or an extractor fan from the kitchens and dining area.
“When I take my dog for a walk, if the wind is blowing in the right direction you can hear if from up to four or five football pitches away. I have written to the academy’s director to raise my issues but I never get a reply. I think they think if they can ignore it, then they can just carry on.”
(Image: Joseph Walshe / SWNS)
However, Wolves fan Thomas Lloyd, 37, said he loved living nearby. He added: “It’s nice to get a glimpse of the players who I go and support every week. The club is a big part of my life so I really don’t mind it being on my doorstep.”
Wolves have spent millions in upgrades to keep the ground up to speed with their top flight rivals and is only a mile away from their famous Molineux Stadium. The club and Wolverhampton City Council have both been approached for comment.