Scotland needs better football pitches – and the right facilities to complement them.
A consultation with sportscotland highlighted this common issue around the country – which inspired the Scottish FA’s Pitching In campaign, alongside the Scottish Football Partnership Trust.
It is our strategic priority to tackle the nationwide deficit in adequate surfaces and surroundings, to unleash the power of football and ensure it can continue to inspire Scotland and transform lives, for all ages and abilities.
Our goal is to raise £50 million by 2030 to invest in Scottish football’s main infrastructure – pitches and changing facilities.
We will bring together association profits and government funding, along with philanthropic donations and sponsor and partner investment to deliver three key pillars:
The Equaliser
Upgrade or replace 75 changing rooms to make them more accessible for girls, women and para footballers.
The Comeback
Upgrade up to 50 existing 3G pitches in the areas of greatest need.
The New Signing
Increase the football footprint by up to 40 new 3G pitches.
On the back of that? Some 6.8 million visits – enabling hundreds of games, thousands of goals, millions of smiles and limitless fun.
Our aim is to ensure as many people as possible can play the game we all love.
Most ‘hired’ facilities are still owned by local authorities or Leisure Trusts. While we will work with those across the public estate, our focus is on growing the provision of facilities across our grassroots community football club network, along with our member clubs.
Anyone – whether they’re a grassroot or member club – can apply for funding to support the development of their facilities through development and upgrading of existing facilities and pitches – or the installation of a new pitch.
To get the ball rolling, the Scottish FA made an initial donation of £5 million and that kick-off amount has already been put to good use.
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Symington Tinto AFC
We visited Symington Tinto AFC in North Lanarkshire - the heartbeat of a small community who punches well above its weight in terms of football footfall.
Thanks to Pitching In, they have a perfect new pitch and a revamped clubhouse on the way.
Co-founder and Club Secretary Gus MacKay said: “Football’s in your blood and this village is in my blood.
“I was 14 when we started the boys’ club and I was named the first club secretary. I’m 72 years old now, so you can do the numbers!
“The funding we’ve had from the Scottish FA has been an absolute gamechanger. I pinch myself every time I come down here.
“Especially with the new astro pitch. We’ve gone from 60 to 70 kids to 300-plus every week.
“The building is tired so we’re doing something about it. We wanted a hall where we could do our own fundraising. The existing structure is 40 years old and it’s served its purpose.
“The extension will give us more dressing rooms, particularly on the girls’ and women’s side, which we’re trying to build up.
“One of the reasons it’s tired is because it’s very important to us that everyone gets access to playing football. The monthly fee is £10 and deliberately so. We also have a policy of ‘if that’s too much, speak to us and we’ll do something about it’.
“We don’t do trials. Everyone can play. Everyone is accepted here.”
That includes Jamie McIlvaney, whose first experience of the club was tagging along to watch his Dad play – under Gus.
He then progressed to playing himself – under Gus.
Now? He’s coaching his son’s team, after young Owen was initially put through his paces by… you’ve guessed it. Gus.
He added: “For rural and maybe underprivileged areas, if they don’t have football, what have people got to do? When the clubhouse is done here – alongside the new pitch – what an incredible facility we have on our doorstep.
“I remember coming along to watch my Dad play in the 80s and early 90s. He’d give me 50p, which would get me a pack of nuts, a can of juice and a game of pool. Sadly, 50p doesn’t stretch that far now.
“If it wasn’t for the Scottish FA then we wouldn’t have the new pitch or the new clubhouse. We’ve been very, very lucky.
“This club’s been a massive part of my family for 35 years or so now. I tell Owen every day how fortunate he is to have these facilities.
“You see the amount of kids benefiting from them and all the different age-groups. They’re coming from all over. That’s grassroots football and if you don’t have that investment into facilities then it won’t work.
“Owen’s making memories every time he’s here. He’s made friends for life. There’s a real community aspect to this.
“I look at pictures of my Dad in the clubhouse, going to Player of the Year nights and discos back in the day. Owen’s going to have those same experiences. How special is that?”
If this campaign strikes a chord with you, and you want to talk to us about investing to improve facilities in every corner of the country, visit pitchingin.scottishfa.co.uk or email pitching-in@scottishfa.co.uk.
Throughout the Pitching In campaign, the Scottish FA are supporting for Football for the Goals, a United Nations initiative that engages with football to show the power of football and the sport’s global footprint in advancing sustainability, equality and human rights.
This project, in particular addresses, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) relating to affordable and clean energy (through the new floodlights) and affecting positive changes around health and wellbeing.