UEFA President Lennart Johansson has taken time out from an official visit to Scotland to present three ‘grassroots’ football clubs with the country’s first youth football quality awards, writes CHARLES MANN. Representatives from Annan Athletic Football Club, Rothes Juniors Football Club (Glenrothes) and Milton Football and Sports Club (Bannockburn, Stirling) were invited to an official ceremony at Stirling Castle to receive their Scottish Football Association (SFA) supported awards in front of an invited audience which included French footballing great Michel Platini and Deputy First Minister Nicol Stephen. The SFA Quality Mark awards, which also receive the backing of UEFA and the Scottish Executive, are designed to encourage clubs to develop the game at ‘grassroots’ level as part of the Association’s £31 million Youth Action Plan which is designed to improve the standard of players progressing to the Scottish national team. SFA Chief Executive, David Taylor, said the awards were the first of many the Association would be seeking to present throughout Scotland. Scotland has one of the lowest number of players as a percentage of population in Europe – currently standing at 3.6% which is less than half that of similar countries like Holland and Norway. We also have one of the lowest ratios of player per club, at an average of 23, which shows we have a high number of one-team clubs – unlike our continental rivals whose ‘community club’ structures boast player averages in excess of 300. These are fundamental issues we need to overcome and both the Youth Action Plan and within it the Quality Mark scheme are addressing the problem.   We believe we are taking steps in the right direction and by doing so will get back to the stage where our national teams are once again performing consistently on European and World stages.”  

The SFA Quality Mark scheme has the following objectives:

• To increase, retain and develop ‘grassroots’ players and volunteers of all ages and abilities within football

• To raise playing, coaching and administrative standards within ‘grassroots’ football

• To reward quality and football development

• To create player pathways between the youth and adult recreational game to encourage lifelong football participation

• To create links between the youth and senior game to allow a player pathway for late talented developers

• To move Scottish football’s ‘one team’ culture and develop a more inclusive ‘Community Club’ orientated system

• To establish football at the heart of communities

Milton Football and Sports Club: Received Standard Club Award and based at Bannockburn, Stirling.   The club which was founded in 1971,  runs soccer schools at under 12 levels as well as teams at Under 9 (x4), 10 (x2), 11, 12 (x2), 13, 15 and 19’s levels.   There are also two adult teams participating in the Caledonian and Stirling District leagues. The have 27 volunteer and SFA accredited coaches operating at the club and are seeking to establish a girls/women’s team in the next couple of seasons. Club founder and main sponsor Pat Griffin was joined at the presentation ceremony by President, Mick Mullane; Chairman, Jim Masterson and Football Development Officer, Willie McCulloch.

Rothes Juniors Football Club: Received Standard Club Award and based at Glenrothes.   The club has been operating for 12 years and runs soccer sevens and teams from under 10 to under 14 levels.   They are also heavily involved in a Community programme delivering coaching to under 8’s and 9’s.  The club has 27 volunteer and SFA accredited coaches and regularly attracts in the region of 160 children. Club Chairman John Paton was joined at the ceremony by Vice Chairman, Barry McCulloch; Secretary Louise McCulloch; Child Protection Officer, Janice Paton; Fundraising Officer, Ethel Kidd and Quality Assurance Officer, David Ross.

Annan Athletic Football Club: Received Development Award.   The club was formed in 1942 an runs soccer schools at primary One and Two, soccer sevens from under 8 to under 11, youth teams from under 13 to 17 and has recently started a girls only section.   The club also has senior teams competing in the East and South of Scotland Leagues.

The club has 53 volunteer and SFA accredited coaches and regularly attracts in the region of 300 children.   They completed a 500-seater stand last year and have an all weather floodlit surface. Club Chairman, Henry McClelland was joined at the ceremony by Secretary, Alan Irving, Youth Development Officer, Ian Bell and SFA Council member Dick Shaw