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He hasn't had much to laugh about since taking over as manager of relegation-haunted Leeds United.
But Dennis Wise was all smiles yesterday as he helped a youth club in inner-city Leeds celebrate its success in securing a big-money grant for new sports facilities.
The Hunslet Club for Boys and Girls has just won 420,000 from Barclays to pay for an artificial grass pitch and two multi-use games areas.
Taking a break from a kickabout with some excited local youngsters, Wise predicted the club could now become a breeding ground for young football talent in Leeds.
Future
He said: "Lots of people will have the opportunity to play sport and keep fit by using new, improved facilities close to home.
"Hopefully we'll see some Leeds players of the future using the site."
The grant award followed an application from the youth club which was backed by United and Leeds City Council.
Hunslet centre director Dennis Robbins said: "It will make a massive difference. Raising this sort of money on our own would have been pretty much impossible."
Mr Robbins added that he wanted to pay special tribute to United chief executive Shaun Harvey's "invaluable" work on the project.
Founded in 1940, the Hunslet club is tucked away behind the Station Hotel on Hillidge Road and operates as an independent charity.
During the day it provides vocational skills training, while in the evenings it organises sport and social activities for hundreds of children and young people.
The club is one of 200 good causes which are benefiting from Barclays Spaces for Sports, a 30m drive to improve health and fitness provision across the UK.
Grassroots
It is a partnership between Barclays, environmental regeneration charity Groundwork and the Football Foundation, a Government-funded body dedicated to helping grassroots soccer.
David Smith, from Barclays, said: "We believe that sport has a key role to play in revitalising our communities.
"Projects like this one are central to that. We hope that the site will provide local people with the opportunity to participate in and enjoy sport."
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Weather for Leeds
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
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Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
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Temperature: 9 C to 22 C
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