KEEPIE UPPIE THE MAGAZINE OF THE SCOTTISH FOOTBALL PARTNERSHIP & TRUST DECEMBER 2018 Scottish Football Partnership Working in partnership with: Scottish Football Partnership Season’s greetings and welcome to the December 2018 edition of Keepie Uppie magazine. It’s hard to believe that we have now reached the mid-point in our funding season – I hope you will enjoy reading our latest publication which showcases some of the projects and initiatives that OUR GRATEFUL THANKS OUR HALF- we have supported across the country in the last six months. In this short period, I am pleased to TO ALL OUR PARTNERS report that The Scottish Football Partnership and SFP Trust has processed a combined total of TIME RESULTS 109 GRANT AWARDS which has seen an investment of just over £1.158M in football at EVERY LEVEL in Scotland. None of this would be possible without the fantastic financial support we £1,037,987 receive from The Scottish FA whose funds we put to good use in improving club facilities and INVESTMENT IN SFP infrastructure within both the professional and non-professional ends of the game. Our business and third sector funding partners (highlighted opposite) are also deserving of a special mention ELITE CLUB FACILITY for their vision in supporting the much needed work we do through our Charitable Trust which is AND YOUTH ACADEMY now in its fifth year of operation. These organisations are absolutely vital to our work at grassroots SUPPORT level and some of our success stories are contained in the pages which follow, including an update on our dynamic GoFitba project which we will be expanding further in 2019. £98,480 Looking ahead to next year there is a real air of optimism about our game both domestically INVESTMENT IN SFP and on the International stage with our men’s National team recently topping their group in the TRUST FACILITIES inaugural UEFA Nations League, guaranteeing them a play-off spot should they require it at the AND DEVELOPMENT end of the traditional Euro 2020 qualification campaign which kicks-off in March. The Women’s PROGRAMMES National team have made it two in a row in terms of qualification for major finals and I am sure the whole country will get behind the players in the build up to their first ever FIFA Women’s World Cup Finals. We are delighted to be playing a small part in helping Shelley Kerr and her £22,314 team prepare for this tournament in conjunction with the Scottish Government. Our feature on INVESTMENT IN the team’s route to the finals is on page 11 and we wish the squad well ahead of their opening SFP TRUST GOFITBA Group D match against England in Nice on Sunday, 9th June, 2019. PROJECT Our National teams’ qualification for major tournaments and the prospect of seeing Hampden Park not only hosting Euro 2020 group stage matches but also featuring Scotland can only help to inspire the next generation of boys and girls to take up and fall in love with the beautiful game for life. Why is this important? I recently read an insightful report carried out by UEFA which measured the value of football participation in Scotland. The report, which was co-ordinated by Danny Bisland, Scottish FA Project Manager – Community Football Clubs, used the UEFA GROW Social Return on Investment model to highlight that the 780,000 people who regularly play football in Scotland has a value of £1.25bn to the country’s economy in key areas such as health and wellbeing. This report really brings to life just how important football is to the very fabric of Scottish society and as a partner organisation within the football family we are committed to playing our part in helping the game to grow and develop at every level in the years ahead. To read more of this report, CLICK HERE Best wishes for a successful start to 2019 and we look forward to hearing from you soon. Stuart McCaffrey Chief Operating Officer 1 Scottish Football Scottish Football Partnership SFP FACILITIES GRANTS SFP FACILITIES GRANTS Partnership Supporting Elite Stadium Improvements NEW STADIUM PITCH AT TYNECASTLE “The Club was extremely grateful to have, once again, received financial support from The Scottish Football Partnership (SFP) in connection with our Tynecastle Redevelopment Project. On this occasion, we were awarded a contribution to assist with our pitch redevelopment; the first at Tynecastle in 20 years. Our new hybrid pitch is state of the art, complete with computerised monitoring, irrigation and undersoil heating systems. Craig and the team are delighted with the new surface, which is one of the very best in Scotland and the Club thanks The SFP most sincerely for their support.” Ann Budge, Chair, Heart of Midlothian F.C. 2 3 Scottish Football Scottish Football Partnership SFP FACILITIES GRANTS SFP FACILITIES GRANTS Partnership Earlier in the year, approaches were made by both St. Mirren F.C. and Hibernian Supporting Elite Stadium Improvements Supporting F.C. to seek funding to support the replacement of the 3G surfaces at their respective training grounds at Ralston and Ormiston. As part of Scottish FA Elite Training Club Licensing and the Elite Club Academy system, there is a requirement for clubs to have FIFA Quality Pro surfaces for their first team and youth academy and Academy training activity. The existing training surfaces at these clubs were over ten years old and had to be replaced to meet the required standard for clubs competing at the top level in Scottish football and the SFP were delighted to award funding Facilities to assist with both projects. NEW 3G SURFACE AT NEW DUG-OUTS FOR ST. MIRREN’S RALSTON LIVINGSTON F.C. TRAINING GROUND “Through its Facilities Award scheme, The Scottish “We’d like to thank The Scottish Football Partnership Football Partnership has helped Livingston F.C. for their contribution towards the new 3G pitch at upgrade its dug-out provision which benefits staff the St Mirren Youth Academy. Our Youth Academy and players of both home and visiting clubs. On behalf of Livingston Football Club, I wish to has a proud track record of bringing through players record my gratitude for the award which further who have gone on to play in the Champions League demonstrates the supportive and progressive role and at international level for Scotland. Hopefully the Partnership is playing in modernising Scottish with the new facilities we can continue to develop football.” the next crop of young talent.” Robert Wilson, Chairman, Livingston F.C. Tony Fitzpatrick, Chief Executive, St. Mirren F.C. ALLOA ATHLETIC F.C. UPGRADE MAINS POWER SUPPLY Thanks to the support of The Scottish Football Partnership, Alloa Athletic recently completed the upgrading of the mains power supply serving the Indodrill Stadium. For a number of years, the Club faced a dilemma during the colder winter months due to limitations on the amount of power available. This was due to the restrictions on both the local power supply infrastructure and the wiring capacity serving the stadium. The situation was so marginal that the Club had to switch off all heating in the main Club building during games in order to prioritise the power supply to the floodlighting. In order to draw NEW 3G SURFACE more power, a significantly larger supply cable had to be laid to allow the new AT HIBERNIAN’S supply to be connected to the current distribution network. The completed TRAINING GROUND project will now mean that the power available will easily meet current and any foreseeable future demand to ensure no interruption to games and to “Hibernian are delighted with the support ensure the health and safety, comfort and experience of those attending. provided by The Scottish Football Partnership for our new 3G surface at the Hibernian Training “This project shows the value of capital investment funding to the Centre. Our facility is in use morning, noon Scottish game. High profile projects often attract lots of publicity and night with the first team and academy, but investment in the unseen infrastructure is just as important. both male and female, and the importance of I look forward to increased availability of funding in the years to a good surface can’t be understated.” come, targeted and delivered for maximum positive benefit to all George Craig, clubs and the communities they serve.” Head of Football Operations, Hibernian F.C. Mike Mulraney, Chairman, Alloa Athletic F.C. 4 5 Scottish Football Scottish Football Partnership SFP FACILITIES GRANTS SFP FACILITIES GRANTS Partnership Supporting Highland, Lowland, East of Scotland and South of Scotland League Clubs NEW ACCESIBLE VIEWING PLATFORM FOR DISABLED SUPPORTERS AT LINLITHGOW ROSE F.C. “We are delighted with this new covered area which has really enhanced the facilities at Prestonfield, and one which will greatly benefit our disabled supporters. We are most grateful to the SFP for their assistance – this Club Licensing project wouldn’t have been possible for a club of our size without their support.” NEW SEATED STAND Jon Mahoney, Linlithgow Rose F.C. FOR KELTY HEARTS F.C. “The club invested a fairly large sum of money this year on the installation of a new seated stand at New Central Park. We wanted to create a quality build that would withstand the test of time and we are delighted with this new facility. Our thanks go to The Scottish Football Partnership for their support of this project which will be hugely beneficial to our club in the years ahead.” Dean McKenzie, General Manager, Kelty Hearts F.C. IMPROVED SPECTATOR NEW ENCLOSURE FENCING FACILITIES AT NAIRN FOR CREETOWN F.C. COUNTY F.C. “This fencing has really transformed Castle Cary Park and it now feels like a proper “Thank you for supporting firstly the Scottish football ground.