Protesters pitch in for city sports clubs fight

CAMPAIGNERS behind a protest march against the state of Edinburgh's communal sports facilities have vowed to keep fighting against the "Third World" conditions faced by young players across the city.

The Unite the Clubs march by thousands of youngsters through the city centre yesterday followed an Evening News expos of the rundown conditions faced by sports clubs. A subsequent campaign by clubs from across the city led to the council pledging to invest 3 million in communal sports facilities in the Capital.

However, march organisers said they would stage future demonstrations unless the council vowed to improve conditions at the city's dilapidated pitches.

The call comes after politicians, sportsmen and music stars joined a crowd of young footballers, rugby and hockey players - which organisers estimated to be between 2500 and 3000-strong - on the march, which delivered a petition against the state of the Capital's pitches to the Scottish Parliament.

Many city clubs face having to change in shabby, vandalised pavilions with no hot water and play on pitches covered with dog mess and broken glass.

Among the stars joining the youngsters yesterday were Proclaimers Craig and Charlie Reid, both life-long Hibs fans who said they were "delighted" to lend their support to the cause.

Speaking after the march, Craig said: "Both myself and Charlie have young children who are having to play on these rundown pitches. A lot of these facilities in Edinburgh are in a dreadful state and it vital that we try to improve them.

"Edinburgh has a great sporting tradition and history, but the problem we, and the rest of Scotland, face is that facilities are better elsewhere in the world."

March organiser Les Trotter, an official with Hutchison Vale FC, said that support for the march had been "overwhelming".

He said: "We have to work together with the council and make sure that they keep their promise of putting more money into sports facilities across the city.

"We've heard promises before over these pitches, but they have not come to anything and the facilities are as bad as they have ever been. The council have now said that they will be investing heavily to improve them, so we need to make sure that they deliver."

Among the other personalities on the march were Hibs goalkeeper Andy McNeil, Falkirk manager and former Hibs player John Hughes, Scotsport presenter Grant Stott and MSPs Brian Monteith and Colin Fox.

Also taking part was city culture and leisure leader Donald Anderson, who said that the council now needed to ensure it delivered its promise.

He said: "We have already pledged to provide new all-weather pitches, new pavilions and upgrade all facilities across the city. However, the clubs involved in the march want to see results and it is up to us to deliver those promises.

"We have to build on what we have already achieved and make sure that we are committed to attracting additional funding to ensure that our sports facilities are suitably upgraded."

The issue over the state of pitches in Edinburgh was first raised in an Evening News expos last September - which highlighted some of the worst facilities in the city, such as Double Hedges and Warriston playing fields.

The resulting campaign by clubs persuaded the city council to pledge 3m in improving all communal sports facilities.

The local authority also recently set aside 2.5m for the building of three new sports pavilions across the city as well as the creation of three new all-weather pitches.

Why did you go on the march?

Graeme Newall, 24, PE teacher, James Gillespie's High School: "The kids at the school have to play on pretty appalling pitches up at Double Hedges, so we were very keen to come on this march to highlight the problems."

Paul Newman, 32, coach, Spartans Under-10s: "The state of the pitches in Edinburgh is terrible and they really need to get sorted out. Too many kids are having to play on uncut and unlined grass pitches, with primitive changing facilities."

Heather McKay, 31, mother and supporter, Hutchison Vale Under-11s: "My son plays for Hutchison Vale and I've seen the state of some of these pitches when I've watched their games. There's no drainage, the changing rooms are terrible and they're not fit for kids to play football."

Shane McCreevy, 29, company manager, Edinburgh: "My company, Play to Learn, provides fitness and sports programmes for kids aged from three upwards, and I've seen the state of these pitches. Hopefully this march will have a knock-on effect and help to improve the conditions faced by youngsters in Edinburgh."