The UK's newest junior footballing academy will be formally opened in Liverpool on Friday (November 6).

Thanks to a £3m development a once boggy field in South Liverpool has been transformed, boasting some of the finest junior football facilities in the amateur game.

Built for the Belle Vale Junior Football League the new Reggie Smith playing fields will boast:

• Four fully-drained junior pitches

• Three mini-soccer pitches and a training area

• High quality designed changing rooms

• Accessible toilets and showers

• An education suite

• Meeting room and kitchen facilities

• Car park

• New public open space

• Improved highway works

The development is the result of having to relocate the league from their existing facilities to house the new Gateacre Community Comprehensive School as part of the Liverpool Building Schools for the Future (BSF) Wave 6 programme.

The completion also means Liverpool City Council, which is leading the city's quest to be a Host City for England's 2018 World Cup bid, has invested over £18m in football pitch improvements and new changing provision since 1999.

Lib Dem Councillor Warren Bradley, Leader of Liverpool City Council, said: ''The new Reggie Smith Playing fields is a fabulous facility and with the education suite is worthy of the all-round academy approach of the professional game. I'm sure it will provide a fantastic platform for many future generations to enjoy a healthy, active life and hopefully for some to become future stars of the beautiful game.

"Our bid to be a World Cup Host City for England is built on maximising the role football can play in our communities and we intend to keep investing in the sport to ensure our youngsters have a chance of competing at the very highest levels.''

Belle Vale Junior Football league, which was formed in 1975, has been hailed as a beacon of best practice by the Football Foundation having grown from 300 registered players in 20 teams in 2003 to 1,200 players in 84 teams today. The league also boats the national Under-13 Tesco Cup winners and U-14 Liverpool County FA champions.

John Coggins, Secretary of the Belle Vale Junior League, said: ''Everybody in the league is delighted with the new Reggie Smith playing fields. The quality of the pitches, training facilities and education suite is truly exceptional and will be of immense benefit to the local community. Hopefully the youngsters in the area will have the enjoyment of playing on these fields for many years to come.''

Glendale Liverpool Limited and their specialist sub-contractor Souters Sports Limited was the main contractor for the pitch and open space works, with the main pitch design of the site carried out by Professional Sportsturf Design.