Rossvale Football Club, based in East Dunbartonshire, has recently had its efforts recognised through attaining the Legacy Award at the Scottish Football Association’s Central Region Quality Mark Awards.

The Scottish FA Quality Mark programme is very highly regarded and bestowed to ambitious football clubs. It aims to increase participation in football, drive high standards and also makes the development of players, coaches and volunteers a priority.

There are five levels to the Quality Mark which include; Entry, Standard, Development, Community and Legacy. The fact that Rossvale Football Club has achieved the highest level of quality owes to their continued hard work and dedication when promoting grass roots football in their local area.

Gavin Anderson, who is Rossvale FC’s coach for the years 2006 and 2008, understands that this community based club, which started in 1976, has worked unbelievably hard to get to where they are today.

He said: “The club has grown quite dramatically to where it is today. We have in the region of six to seven hundred boys and girls as well as around sixty to seventy coaches. Also, we have recently been able to establish a junior team who are doing brilliantly this year.”

The Chairman of Rossvale FC, Ian Gray, also recognises that the club has come a long way. Ian is the longest serving member of the club, having been with Rossvale for nearly forty years, and understands the importance that the club has within the local community.

He said: “The Legacy focuses on looking outward into the community. You have to look externally at how you contribute and at how you can help the community, not just through football, but with local social issues also.”

Gray understands that it is a huge privilege to receive this award and that the on-going guidance will be of great help to Rossvale Football Club.

“The Scottish FA have been really helpful in achieving the Legacy status and in allowing us to deliver it” he said.

“The hard work has really paid off and the SFA have helped to develop facilities in East Dunbartonshire and provide something long term for the community.”