County FA to hold seven showpiece events with U's.
The Suffolk FA are to break new ground by staging EIGHT of this season's county cup finals at Football League grounds.
Ipswich Town will host one final at Portman Road while seven finals will take place at Colchester United's Weston Homes Community Stadium, subject to neither club reaching their divisional play-offs.
Due to the Tractor Boys staging the Sir Elton John concert and end-of-season pitch renovations, Ipswich Town have only been able to offer one date to Suffolk FA.
That date – Sunday, April 30th – clashes with the Ryman League Premier Division Play-Off Final, which is scheduled for the following day.
Two of the three Suffolk sides still involved in the Premier Cup sponsored by Omni Freight Services Ltd – Leiston, Lowestoft Town and Needham Market – could potentially be involved in the play-off final.
Therefore, the final of the Senior Cup sponsored by CNet Training will be held at Portman Road, which last season also staged the finals of the Premier Cup, Junior Cup and Women's Cup sponsored by HomeStore Self Storage.
Suffolk FA County Cup Competitions Manager Adrian Moye said: "Our aim is to give the players of both clubs the best football experience possible.
"With this in mind I approached Colchester United, with a view to staging some of our finals there.
"Although it is outside Suffolk, the ground is only 16 miles from Portman Road, which is not much further to travel for the opportunity to play at a Football League ground.
"The majority of clubs involved in the finals will be used to travelling longer distances to play league games each week, than it will be to travel to Colchester.
"By staging seven finals at the Weston Homes Community Stadium it will mean that an additional four finals – a total of eight extra teams – will this season get the opportunity to play at a Football League ground."
Colchester United General Manager Tim Waddington said: "We are delighted to be hosting this year's Suffolk FA finals.
"In our time at the Weston Homes Community Stadium, we have held a wide range of events, sporting and otherwise, so we are sure we can provide a top class welcome for the teams who have managed to reach the finals.
"Good luck to the teams as they strive to make the finals!"
"In our time at the Weston Homes Community Stadium, we have held a wide range of events, sporting and otherwise, so we are sure we can provide a top class welcome for the teams who have managed to reach the finals.
"Good luck to the teams as they strive to make the finals!"
The schedule for the finals is as follows:-
Senior Cup: Sunday, April 30th at Ipswich Town, 2.30pm
Sunday, May 7th at Colchester United, 2.30pmSunday Cup:
Monday, May 8th at Colchester United, 7.30pmPremier Cup:
Tuesday, May 9th at Colchester United, 7.30pmJunior Cup:
Wednesday, May 10th at Colchester United, 7.30pmPrimary Cup:
Thursday, May 11th at Colchester United, 7.30pmSenior Reserve Cup:
Friday, May 12th at Colchester United, 7.30pmWomen's Cup:
Monday, May 15th at Colchester United, 7.30pmBoys' Under-18s Midweek Cup: