A football club director has outlined plans for a large stadium upgrade and his hopes for promotion.

Since becoming chairman four years ago, John Martin has overseen an £150,000 pitch upgrade and £130,000 car park renovation at Waltham Abbey FC's Sewardstone Road ground.

In August the fire safety business owner submitted an application to Epping Forest District Council requesting permission to build new changing rooms and physio facilities.

As well as catering for male and female officials, the £300,000 project would help the club get Premier League status.

Mr Martin's ambitions do not stop there however.

He said: "While is about enjoying the journey, we are looking to get Premier League status quite soon.

"If it is not this year then next year, then pushing conference football. The idea is to play conference football.

"What we really want to do is to put Waltham Abbey on the map.

"A lot of people in the town don't know we exist.

"We want to let people know that we are here and for £8 you can watch a nice standard of football."

In addition to cheap tickets and a £3.50 pie and pint deal, the director is hoping the work of recently employed manager and former Tottenham player Mark Stimson will lead to a higher quality of football and bigger crowds.

Mr Martin added: "Mark is an ex-pro and very ambitious.

"What we are going to do next is design a new stand and club house.

"We have room for 250 sitting at the moment, but if the crowds are big enough which we'd like to get to 500."

Alongside the expanded stands would be a purpose built on-site club house, which would include a bar, function room and space for community groups.

"We want to develop some stuff we can do with the kids so they are not hanging around on the streets," Mr Martin said.

"What we really want to do is to make the club a part of the community."