'Shot in the arm' for Glasgow grassroots football as £5m invested

Around £5m will be invested in grassroots football in Glasgow

Grassroots football in Glasgow is to benefit from almost £5m of investment which will cover pitch upgrades and new floodlights.

Several projects in the city will receive cash, part of £6 million being invested in sport across Scotland, including £620,000 towards a new artificial pitch for Glasgow Girls FC. Overall, around £5m will be spent in Glasgow.

The city’s Conservative group leader, Cllr Thomas Kerr, welcomed the UK Government announcement and said it was a “great short in the arm for communities”.

The funding announcement is part of a wider UK Government investment in sport, which is tied to an ambition to get 3.5 million more adults and children active by 2030.

In Glasgow, the schemes selected for funding include a £2.36m contribution to City Charitable Trust’s £4.7m project at Lochinch, Pollok Park, where changing rooms, an artificial pitch and a grass pitch will be upgraded. A new grass pitch is also planned.

Over £366,000 has been provided to Partick Thistle Charitable Trust to help towards upgrading an artificial pitch at Petershill Park, and the Jimmy Johnstone Charitable Trust has been awarded £345,085 to support improving a grass pitch at Cathkin Park.

Rangers Charity Foundation will receive £282,000 towards a pitch upgrade and floodlighting and Park Villa Football Club can use just under £333,000 for work on an artificial pitch and floodlighting at the Drumoyne Campus.

Castlemilk Community Football Trust was granted nearly £235,000 to improve a grass pitch and floodlighting at Barlia football centre, while Giffnock Soccer Centre will get £300,000 to help fund a new artificial pitch.

Glasgow City Council is set to receive two contributions towards new floodlights at secondary schools, with £47,500 for St Rochs and £45,000 for Knightswood .

Cllr Kerr said: “This welcome funding from the UK Government for grassroots facilities will ensure the wide-ranging benefits that sport provides to our physical and mental health remain accessible to Glaswegians.

“The success of Scotland’s men’s and women’s football teams are due in large part to the grassroots facilities and commitment of dedicated individuals.”

He added the funding is “a great shot in the arm for communities across Scotland” at a time of “government cuts to council budgets”.

Work is underway on 30 of the Scottish projects, with 10 set to start shortly. UK Government Sports Minister, Stuart Andrew, said: “We know that one of the major barriers in getting active is access to high-quality sports facilities, which is why we are delivering 40 new projects in Scotland.

“The UK Government and Scottish FA have already delivered another 40 projects backed by £4m to give local communities the high quality facilities they need.”

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When the funding was announced, UK Government Minister for Scotland, Malcolm Offord, visited Glasgow Girls and Women FC at their base in Springboig.

The club, formed in 2008, has six youth sides from under-eights to under-18s and a senior women’s team. Mr Offord said: “It was amazing to see the work done by the coaches, the SFA and the charity trustees at Glasgow Girls and Women FC.

“These 40 projects will nurture the talent of the future, encouraging everyone in the community to have fun, be active and embrace all the benefits that brings for physical and mental health.”

Scottish FA president, Mike Mulraney, said: “It is vitally important for the nation that we continue to make our national game accessible to all and we are extremely grateful to the UK Government for helping us to do so through this investment.”