The Cecil Payne Stadium is set to undergo a transformation as former international and Premier League soccer coach Cavin Johnson embarks on his mission to re-establish the facility to its former glory as a community sporting hub.

According to Johnson, the initiative will be built on the international social club premise, where the facility serves as a base for numerous sporting clubs under the guise of Florida Social Club.

“The idea is to create a home away from home for the local community,” says Johnson.

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“The Cecil Payne Stadium is going to be a place where every child, parent, and grandparent can come and participate in sports, cheer for their local teams, and visit with friends and family.

“We want to make sure that every child receives the opportunity to be part of something bigger than him or herself. A place where parents can know their children are safe and engaged in healthy and fun activities.”

Johnson says he chose the social club model after experiencing the pride that towns across the world have for their local clubs.

“I’ve seen towns where the entire identity of the town is built around their sporting hub. Wherever these people go in the world, they are proudly members of their local social club.”

Though challenges abound, Johnson is determined to make a success of this initiative.

“We will have to secure funding to make a success of this,” he says. “But it is no use finding the funding if we do not have the community fully behind us.

“Currently there are no real options for children in the local area when it comes to taking part and developing in sports outside of school.

“We aim to change this. Cecil Payne is to become a place where children can take part in their sporting code of choice, where they can get the help and individual attention they need in order to grow not only as athletes, but as people.”