Annan Athletic unveiled their new 3G pitch on Saturday.

Money from the Scottish Government’s CashBack for Communities fund, sportscotland and Dumfries and Galloway Council has paid for the Third Division club’s new surface.

The Scottish FA played a key role in advising the government where to allocate funding.

Cameron Watt, Scottish FA facility manager, said: “It's fantastic to see Annan Athletic officially open their new 3G pitch - the first of its kind in Dumfries and Galloway.

“The opportunities that the new facility at Galabank will create for the residents of Annan and beyond are virtually limitless in terms of the amount of football activity that can be supported here. 

“To have community football activity happening just an hour or so before the Annan Athletic first team play on the same pitch is truly inspirational for all the youngsters involved and is a great example of the full Player Pathway in action.

“The pitch is now getting 2500 visits per week.”

South West regional manager for the Scottish FA, John Brown, said the Galabankies – a Quality Mark club – were now able to offer football to players of all levels and backgrounds.

“Annan Athletic has been first class in its engagement with the local community,” he said.

“Well before the introduction of this fantastic new pitch the club was fully engaged with our Quality Mark programme.

“The new surface will allow a massive increase in capacity and will allow all sections of the club to grow. Annan are now able to offer a full pathway from youth to adult for every player in the local community whether recreational or those with aspirations to play the game professionally.

“The CashBack and local authority funding has made this possible and the future for sport in the area looks bright.”

Diversionary and participatory sporting activity is key to the CashBack programme.

Of the 20 national organisations now funded through CashBack to provide positive opportunities for young people, eight of these are sporting bodies – Scottish Football Association, the Scottish Football League, Scottish Rugby Union, Scottish Sports Futures, basketballscotland, sportscotland, ClubGolf and Amateur Boxing Scotland. 

In total, over £8 million has been spent on sporting activities and facilities up to 31st March 2011, with a further £16.1 million committed to projects from 1st April 2011 to 31st March 2014.

Keep up-to-date with the latest football activities in the South West region on Twitter @sfa_southwest.