Construction work has begun on a new £12m pavilion for Stoke City’s first team.

The new facilities at the Clayton Wood training ground form part of the club’s efforts to return to the Premier League, bosses said.

“I love the club and just want us to be successful,” said owner John Coates.

“One of the key roles I can play in that is investing in facilities to help us build towards that success.”

The first phase, a new pavilion for the first team, is scheduled for completion in December 2025.

The second phase will see refurbishment of the club’s existing pavilion building which will exclusively serve its category one academy and women’s team.

Stoke City vice chair Richard Smith said the new building would include a gym, swimming pool, hydrotherapy suite, cryotherapy suite and offices for support staff as well as catering facilities.

There will also be a tactics room, where coaches and players will watch video analysis, he said.

Mr Smith said it was no secret they wanted to return to the Premier League.

“We spent 10 years there, we’ve been out of it for a while now, and we’re very keen to get back up there,” he said.

“We want to make ourselves ready for that transition before we actually get in there.”

Once they finish construction of the new building, work to refurbish existing facilities will begin.