Scottish football sets path for golden future

Wednesday, 17 February 2010

The Scottish FA can announce two groundbreaking partnerships that will have a significant impact on the development of the game at grassroots level.

McDonald’s is continuing to invest in the stars of tomorrow, announcing a new four-year deal to help raise standards and create more opportunities for children to get involved at all ages and all abilities. And, an historic joint National Player Pathway conceived by the Scottish FA and the Scottish Youth FA will enable young players across the country to follow the same gradual development plan.

The Scottish FA and the Scottish Youth FA will focus on three key areas that are crucial to the development of football in this country: the new national Player Pathway, league and club development, and coach and volunteer development.

All young people playing recreational football will follow the new national Player Pathway, which starts with small-sided games and grows with the child. 6 to 8-year-olds will play 4v4 games; 7v7 for 9 to 12-year-olds, culminating in full-sided games of 11v11 from age 13 and above.

The renewed community partnership announced today will see McDonald’s extend its involvement in the Scottish FA Quality Mark accreditation scheme, which aims to raise standards within clubs. Quality Mark is designed to create a better standard of playing and coaching for the thousands of boys and girls across Scotland. 

McDonald’s will help to attract 13,000 new volunteers and 10,000 new coaches by 2014, as well as supporting 600 clubs and 52,000 players over the course of the deal, achieved through new and existing football networks.

For more information on the National Player Pathway and Quality Mark, click the links on the right.

Speaking for McDonald’s, CEO Steve Easterbrook said: “Our partnership with the Scottish FA has been an incredible success since we first launched in 2002, and I’m delighted that we’ll be working together for another four years.

McDonald’s has a proud heritage of supporting grassroots football in Scotland, and this new agreement represents the next stage in our aim to create a better standard of football for boys and girls across the country.”

Jim Fleeting, the Scottish FA head of football development, Jim Dolan, Scottish Youth FA vice-president, and Kenny Dalglish, McDonald’s head of Scottish football, were at Toryglen Regional Football Centre today to announce the exciting new ventures.

Kenny Dalglish: “The McDonald’s and Scottish FA programme is something I’ve been personally involved with now for eight years, and I’m delighted that a new agreement is in place to take the scheme forward for four more years. I have no doubt that this partnership will help us create the next generation of football stars for the Scotland teams of the future, and I’m excited to see how we can all work together to make this happen.”

Jim Fleeting: “Research in Scotland and around the world has shown the advantages of small-sided games. The idea of tiny 10-year-olds playing on a full-sized pitch is a thing of the past - young players must be given the opportunity to learn the game of football, improving technique and awareness at a young age. We’re delighted to be working with the Scottish Youth FA to roll-out the player pathway across Scotland. It’s so important that we’re all working together to improve Scottish football.

“Club development is equally important - our young players must be given every opportunity to play the game in a safe and progressive environment. Our partnership with McDonald’s continues to go from strength to strength. Over the next four years we’ll be working together to improve the standard of grassroots football in communities across Scotland.”

Jim Dolan: “The Scottish Youth FA is delighted to be partnering the Scottish FA in the development of our young players and the volunteers who are the backbone of every one of our member clubs.  We have done much in recent years to enhance player, club and volunteer development and this new partnership provides the opportunity to take grassroots youth football to a new level.”