THE long-awaited Clayton End roof should be up at the Fraser Eagle Stadium by the start of the new season.

And the Reds are hoping for a increased revenue after extending their hospitality section at the Fraser Eagle Stadium.

Chief Executive Rob Heys says the club have been working hard behind the scenes in the summer.

Fans have been waiting for years for a roof to shelter them from the elements behind one goal.

"We are glad to finally be able to install the Clayton End roof," said the chief executive. "It has been a really frustrating time. We never meant to mislead supporters about the roof but every time we thought it was ready to go something else cropped up.

"The design changed three times, then the application for funding was sent back three or four times with questions, the county council got involved and it meant there were a lot of interested parties. Then we got into the Football League and other changes became priorities.

"It has taken three or four years but we are finally there. The foundations should be laid by the Burnley game on July 14 and the steel up the Monday after. It will cost us around £200,000, though just under half of it will be covered with a grant from the Football Foundation.

"Hopefully now it will now be more comfortable for our supporters and should also make for a great atmosphere at home matches."

The club have also bought the Crown Pub and the current sports bar will be turned into a hospitality lounge.

"That came out of the blue really, being able to take the lease on the Crown pub, but we snapped it up.

"Now, with new corporate hospitality facilities we will be able to increase money in from this source by 500 per cent which we need to do to compete in this league.

"We will also be spending £30,000 on the sports bar with new furniture, carpets and windows. It will continue to be used for night functions and we want to expand our conference operations."

The Chief Executive did confirm though that the players and management will go to the Crown Pub after the game to mingle with the fans as they have done in the sports bar in previous seasons.

"We certainly dont want to take that away. There has always been a great sense of community here at Accrington Stanley and we'll always work hard to maintain that."