FORMER Wanderers boss Sam Allardyce has called on private gyms to offer their facilities for free to people who cannot afford their “huge” membership fees.

Big Sam said fitness and exercise played a crucial part in children’s upbringing and claimed Bolton would benefit from more free facilities for youngsters.

He spoke out yesterday at the official opening of a £65,000 new-look sports complex at Johnson Fold Community Primary School.

He said: “People who are financially better off than people in this area spend a huge amount of money joining fitness gyms.

“It might be nice if those gyms offered their facilities to less fortunate people than their members and gave them the opportunity to use a good facility to keep fit and progress in life.”

The whole school turned out for a special afternoon assembly to see Big Sam, before he braved the rain to cut a ribbon at the entrance to the new all-weather football pitch. He added: “It is difficult to put into words how critical facilities like this are. You can never have enough of them, particularly at schools.

“The more places like this that are made available for youngsters today, the better chance we’ve got of raising good young people in this country.

“I think the town has a responsibility to put more facilities like this in the right areas to get more children out playing and exercising.

“People depend on places like this because they are local. A local facility like this could set off a budding athlete or footballer, who might be spotted later down the line.”

The sports centre, originally built in 1986, was in need of a major overhaul after 22 years of use.

It benefited from £25,000 from the Youth Opportunities Fund following a request from young people on the estate.

The same amount came from Bolton at Home and a further £15,000 was generated from the hire of the venue over the years.

The cash was spent on new sports pitches, flood lights and fencing. The pitches will be open seven days a week to the public and also used by the school.

steven.thompson@theboltonnews.co.uk