JONTY Clarke was in Southend on Saturday to celebrate his former club’s opening of their new £150,000 artificial grass pitch.

The former Old Boys’ striker spent time coaching some of the club’s eight to 14-year-old junior players on the new pitch. Southend Council contributed £100,000 to the cost of the new surface, with the club providing the rest.

Old Southendian have also benefitted from a £45,000 grant from the National Lottery to help revamp the Warners Park changing rooms plus £310 from supermarket chain Waitrose.

“Our old pitch was 21 years old and was at the end of its life and our dressing rooms need modernising,” said club president Andy Smithson. “This is part of the modernisation of the club that we hope to have ready for the 2013/14 season.

“A lot of people have worked very hard for this and it really is an example of the legacy of London 2012. It’s also lovely that Jonty was able to come back.”

Clarke, who is supported by the National Lottery, was also impressed by the pitch.

“It’s great to see a facility like this for the next generation of kids to play on, and it’s really good for Southend to have facilities like this to allow people to play,” he added.

For more details on the club go to www.oldsouthendianhockeyclub.co.uk