A FOOTBALL club is one step closer to building its dream pavilion after scoring a £275,000 grant.

Marston Saints Football Club was given planning permission to build a new clubhouse at its ground in Boults Lane, Oxford, in May 2009, but needed to raise £750,000 to build it.

The permission had a three-year limit and time was running out – until Old Marston Parish Council stepped in.

The grant had to be approved by a public vote and about 60 residents unanimously supported the move at a meeting on February 2.

Chiefs at the club, which fielded former Arsenal player Martin Keown as a youngster, now hope the cash will encourage other organisations to contribute.

Vice chairman Eddie Aldworth said: “We are really grateful to the parish council.

“We are hoping that this sum of money can really set the ball rolling towards our dream of having a new pavilion.”

The parish council used £75,000 of its own cash and will take out a £200,000 loan from the Government’s Public Works Loan Board.

More than 200 boys and girls play in Marston’s 15 youth teams, while up to 50 adults play in two men’s teams.

Parish council chairman Charlie Haynes said: “We are great believers in getting children outside and playing sport, so hopefully this will get things started.”