The Scottish FA is taking our strategic plan - Scotland United: a 2020 vision - is on tour this month as Kilmarnock, Glasgow, Cumbernauld, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Perth each host a regional roadshow. At the sessions, each regional manager will present to the attendees the current status of football in the region before Scottish FA Chief Executive Stewart Regan outlines the new corporate plan.

In June of this year, the board passed a series of reforms that sought to modernise the Scottish FA and Stewart Regan believes it’s vitally important to meet with stakeholders across Scotland so that they can contribute to the debate surrounding the future of Scottish football.

“These roadshows provide an excellent opportunity to engage with all stakeholders in football so that they can have an opportunity to contribute to our vision,” said Stewart. “The discussion groups at each session will provide valuable input on the future of Scottish football on issues ranging from participation right through to facilities and improving the standard of our clubs.”

Wednesday November 2nd seen the Roadshow come to Rugby Park Kilmarnock.  The roadshow had two sessions, the first for key professional staff and elected members across local authorities, and the second session, in the evening which was open to volunteers from across the non-professional game with the overarching aim being to engage with stakeholders at all levels in football.

“The main aim of these roadshows for the Scottish FA is to create a more united approach to developing and supporting the game and allowing a flow of communication. Those working in the six different regions have contributed a great deal to the work of the Scottish FA to date and these roadshows will provide us with another opportunity to highlight this work.”

“In moving the game forward, the affiliated national associations and local authorities will play a huge role in helping to deliver on many of the planned outcomes. It is vital that strong partnerships are developed and maintained to ensure the plan is taken on board across the country. In addition, the non-professional game is reliant on the volunteer army who operate in conjunction with the various leagues, associations and clubs and we require ensuring that these groups are involved and bought into our future plans to support them and grow the game.”

The ideas within the strategic plan were unanimously agreed in June of this year. The chief executive believes that the changes and modernisation at the Scottish FA are clear to see but stresses the importance of ongoing improvement.

“The changes voted upon were the most significant in the history of the Scottish FA. It’s been five months now since they were voted on and we’ve already seen progress being made. However, we know that it is the various stakeholders across the regions and local authorities that will play a vital change in meeting the aims of our corporate plan.”

“At the Scottish FA we are keen to boost the work of the regions. As well as an expanded Quality Mark scheme and a plan for the Region we are also looking to form new regional committees and improved infrastructure in order to further help meet the targets in the Scotland United document. We know that by working together we can achieve more.”

 

The South West Region would like all who took time to attend the event as well as Stewart Regan, Jim Fleeting and Andy Gould for their contributions to the presentation.