Fernandes confirms training-ground rethink

Tony Fernandes has confirmed that QPR have scaled down their plans for a training ground at Warren Farm but says they hope to be based there within two years.

West London Sport revealed last year that Fernandes was having second thoughts about the Warren Farm project and subsequently that Rangers were planning to go ahead with the move but planned to make the new facility more modest than previously suggested.

And the Rangers chairman has admitted that there has been a change of heart and that amended proposals are now scheduled to be submitted to Ealing Council.

He told the club website: “What’s happened with the training ground isn’t too dissimilar to the situation with the first-team where we brought a lot of players in and it didn’t work – we got relegated.

“We initially had big plans for a state-of-the-art training ground, but we as shareholders then thought ‘Is this really what is needed?’

“We have looked at a number of other clubs’ facilities and seen what works well, and the end result was we scaled back on it – apart from the pitches, we want to have great pitches.

“I have met with Julian Bell, the Ealing Council leader, and we will be submitting amended plans to Ealing Council shortly. They have been very supportive.

“We have got our budgets in place and work should start on the site this year with a timescale for the project of two years.

“It will please me greatly when I see it. So much work has been done already but let’s remember, this is just a facility.

“What pleases me more is the work I can see that’s going on at Harlington and the Concorde Club, where our academy are currently based.”

Rangers, who have trained at Harlington for almost a decade, say the new facility at Warren Farm would still enable the club’s academy to achieve category one status.

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