England go back to school to prepare for examination on artificial pitch

England's Euro 2008 hopefuls will prepare for next month's crucial qualifier with Russia on a £1m state-of-the-art school pitch in Altrincham.

Uefa has given Russia permission to play the Group E encounter on an artificial surface at the Luzhny Stadium in Moscow on 17 October.

The move is slightly unusual, given that the pitch must be ripped up next spring to ensure that the European Cup final in May is played on grass.

However, the England coach, Steve McClaren, is laid-back about the decision and, after successive three-goal wins over Israel and Russia this month, is focusing more on completing qualification for next summer's finals than worrying about what surface his team will be playing on.

In any event, McClaren has located an exact replica in the North-west.

So, instead of heading for Arsenal's London Colney training base or Manchester United's Carrington training ground, both of which have synthetic pitches but of slightly different grade, England will instead use the facilities at the Blessed Thomas Holford Catholic College for their final practice session before the flight to Moscow.

"It is absolutely fantastic," said the headmaster John Cornally. "For our school to be able to play a part in helping England qualify is marvellous.

"Lessons might be difficult that day and we may have to be flexible in that regard, but what we don't want to do is get in the way of the important thing, which is for the England team to train without any interruptions or distractions. In exchange for a few autographs and signed shirts, we will make sure that happens."

McClaren visited the college this summer to examine the facilities, which were opened by Sir Bobby Charlton in July.

Unlike the old style "plastic pitches" which were installed at QPR and Luton in the 1980s, the modern synthetic surface is rubber-based "field turf", which scientists claim actually provides energy for the legs rather than saps it.

"Some commentators talk about a plastic pitch," Cornally said. "Well it is patently not that. It is absolutely state-of-the-art and testament to all the hard work that has been done here."