GRASSROOTS football is coming home to a new South Oxfordshire HQ after moving from its old “rabbit warren” base.

The Berks and Bucks Football Association opened its new headquarters in Abingdon this month.

More than double the size of the previous office in Faringdon, it has modern, open-plan work spaces, conference rooms and meeting areas.

For the 15-strong team who work there, supporting just under 3,300 teams across 734 clubs, the new home is a dramatic improvement and somewhere they want to invite players, managers and volunteers. Nearly 500 of those teams are in South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse, including Abingdon, Wantage, Faringdon and Didcot.

County development manager Liz Pill said: “It is more than double the size, it is modern and everyone is very proud to work here.

“In Faringdon, we were in a bit of a rabbit warren. The 10 staff in the football development team were virtually on top of each other. Now, we are in this big, open office.

“The FA was blown away by the transformation. It is a really exciting time.”

The Berks and Bucks FA supports small clubs by providing funds for kit and equipment and giving advice and support on development. It is the seventh largest regional FA in the country, and as well as going to meet teams at their clubs, often invites clubs to its headquarters.

Ms Pill said since moving to the new base at Abingdon staff had been a lot happier welcoming visitors.

She said: “Since we’ve been here we have had clubs calling all the time.”

At its official launch event on June 5, the association invited 40 high-profile visitors to check out the new place, including ex-professional footballer Marcus Gayle, now a Berks and Bucks board member. He said: “It is a great privilege to be part of such a forward-thinking organisation.” Berks and Bucks chairman David Grainge and chief executive Liz Verrall also gave speeches on the vision of the association in its new offices.

FA council leader Barry Bright said he was “amazed” to see such a “visual and modern” office for the home of football in the Berks and Bucks region.