DELIGHTED Brightlingsea Regent chairman Terry Doherty said a collective effort paid off after the club secured their all-important ground grading.

Regent’s North Road ground was given the thumbs up by league inspectors after meeting FA and league criteria, ahead of yesterday’s deadline.

Regent had already had two ground inspections – one with the Football Association and one with the Ryman League.

The third and final one took place yesterday – and the division one north club met all of the necessary criteria to make the grade.

Doherty said: “It’s great news and I’m very pleased.

“There’s been a lot of hard work but it makes it all worthwhile when you get the green light.

“The inspectors went on to examine other grounds after ours, so it makes you realise that you’re not the only ones.

“It was a bit frightening the night before as the winds were howling but thankfully everything was OK.”

Regent were obliged to make a number of ground improvements, following their promotion from the Thurlow Nunn League premier division last season.

Over recent weeks, they have installed a new covered terrace for 50 spectators and perimeter fencing around all of the pitch.

“The covered area we needed to do was all built in a day, last Sunday,” said Doherty, who says volunteers have helped them make the grade.

“There’s been an untold amount of people who have helped to make this happen.

“But Manus Webster – James’s father – has worked incredibly hard and if it weren’t for him, we may not have passed.

“He’s purchased materials and put in labour and has put in a massive amount of hours to help us.

“Rob Luckman has also helped massively in putting in lots of steel work at no extra cost to us.

“And the Ultras guys – our supporters – have also played a big part, as have most of the youth section’s Committee members.

“On top of that, one of our stewards – Joe Brown – lives next to a farm in Alresford and noticed that they had some solar panels.

“The farmer said he was getting rid of them so we managed to pick up 250 pallets with solar panels on for free, which was a huge help.

“Everyone has played their part in helping this happen.”