Lochend Football Academy (LFA) is in the game for a new 3G astroturf pitch.
The club has kicked off a crowdfunder where more than £2,000 has been raised towards their £90,000 goal. The OneCity Trust has also just awarded the club a grant of £3,000.
Committee member and team coach, David Pollacchi, said LFA has been in its current location for about 12 years at Lochend Road, after initially receiving monies from the Proceeds of Crime Act funding scheme to put in the facility.
David said: “Like many Scottish grassroots clubs they didn’t have much foresight in putting money aside to replace the pitch later, so the inevitable has happened. We have about £25,000 in reserves, but a new pitch will cost around £90,000.
“Many kids have played here over the years, but it is now almost unplayable.
“If we can replace the pitch, it would be in place for the next ten years and would allow us to start to expand different elements. We plan to set up a girls’ football centre for a mix of age groups. With the Women’s Euros next year it would be excellent timing to get some more young girls involved in the game.”
The academy has a track record of producing good players such as Emma Watson who is the current Rangers captain and the Scotland Women under-16 captain. Lily Graham is another graduate of Lochend and she now plays at Hibs. Both women are delighted that the academy is planning more coaching for girls.
Our photos show the pitch and some of the young players training hard on a Saturday morning. Also photographed David Pollacchi top and Jimmy Urquhart centre. Photos Martin P McAdam
Emma Watson said: “It was great to hear that Lochend are planning on starting a girls’ team. I would strongly recommend any girl who strives to improve their footballing ability to join Lochend. I joined when I was five years old and the quality of coaching I received from a young age along, with the appropriate individual player pathway, has provided me with the skills to captain and represent my country at several age groups.
“I had full support and encouragement from all Lochend coaches to go outside my comfort zone, which I think strongly highlights that Lochend is a club that supports players to maximise their potential and to reach their dreams. Lochend has also helped me become a better person as they create such a brilliant environment, along with instilling some excellent traits into their young players such as manners and respect.”
The club is looking to maximise their income from the advertising opportunities which they have around the pitch, and have put out a call for new advertisers. Currently only open until 4pm, a move to expand into off-peak hours would extend the facility to more groups and increase the club’s income. There have also been discussions with charity Social Bite to offer a session for the homeless in Edinburgh, possibly starting this month.
Head coach, Jimmy Urquhart, added: “We would have started fundraising sooner except for Covid and for the last two years we have not been able to raise funds. It really does need replaced now. Now the extent of repairs needed will cost a lot of money and it would be more economic to get it replaced.
“There have been a lot of players who have gone on from here – probably around 30 or so who are playing at Hibs, Hearts, Celtic and Rangers at various levels.”
Rudi Molotnikov, who also began his career at Lochend, has just started playing with the Scotland 16s. He said: Lochend Football Academy gave me the foundation to be the best I can be.”
https://www.gofundme.com/f/lochend-childrens-football-pitch-replacement
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
