The Scottish Football Partnership has invested £129,000 in purchasing 600 Fun 4’s goal posts and storage facilities for 24 Regional Youth Football centres. Following discussions with the Scottish Youth FA (who run the Fun 4’s format) and the Scottish FA’s Regional Managers a targeted investment has been made to allow the existing League bodies to expand the level of small sided games they can offer kids between the ages of five and eight years of age every weekend. Fun 4’s forms part of the Scottish FA’s strategic National Player Pathway and with street football no longer such a big part of our culture, decent facilities and a safe environment are integral to giving youngsters a positive introduction to the game. Similar models are being used in Brazil and Holland and the Scottish Football Partnership anticipate up to 10,000 young footballers across the length and breadth of the country will benefit from this investment in Scottish footballs Grass Roots. Paul McNeil, Scottish FA West Region Manager said, “We are trying to encourage youngsters to take up and enjoy the game and the goal post project allows us to make that pyramid better so that from Alloa to Aberdeen and all over this country we will have young kids today playing in a safe environment and learning to play football the correct way. This investment from the Football Partnership allows us to develop the game further and further”. David Little, Chief Executive of the Scottish Youth FA said, “We welcome another great investment from our partners at the SFP which will again have a huge impact on the future of football in Scotland”.
The Scottish Football Partnership would like to thank Anytime Leisure for their support in delivering this project and for the additional equipment provided to the regional centres.