Amid the UK Government announcement of funding of £8.6 million for Scottish grassroots sports projects on Friday, one Edinburgh club says that if the council do not speed things up then they will miss out on any share of the new funding.
The specifics of where the money will go are yet to be decided, and clubs will have to apply, but it is to be hoped that some of the monies will come to the capital.
The Secretary of State for Scotland, Ian Murray, was on hand to speak to the young footballers, and he also offered some support to Edinburgh South FC who are fighting their own battle with The City of Edinburgh Council to acquire land to build new facilities.
Edinburgh South FC say Edinburgh Council have to do the deal with the club over land at Inch Park otherwise they will miss out on the new £8.6 million grassroots funding announced by the UK Government
— The Edinburgh Reporter (@edinreporter.bsky.social) 21 March 2025 at 17:55
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Joe Snedden, Chief Executive of Edinburgh South Community Football Club, welcomed the massive investment in Scottish football and grassroots clubs, but he highlighted that Edinburgh South desperately need a new ground to play on.
On their website the club states: “Discussions have been ongoing to secure our own SFA compliant home ground. We continue to work with the Council and local stakeholders in the increasingly populated South of Edinburgh to provide more affordable and all-weather facilities to all in our community.”
He said: “We’re hopeful that we can apply and build our own astro facility just along the road at Inch Park. At the moment, we are currently blocked by the council, and we’re still awaiting them fulfilling their promises and actually giving us the land.
“So we really need them to kick into gear and give us the land, otherwise we literally will be phased out of this fund and not able to apply for it. So, yeah, it’ll make a massive difference to the community, and the 1,000 kids that are in our club, but not if the council don’t get their finger out and give us that land that we need.”
He also said: “We’ve taken inspiration from clubs like Blackburn United and Spartans, who successfully balanced their league-level infrastructure with wider community needs. Like those projects, this new facility will greatly benefit the local primary school—giving children a safe, accessible, and high-quality place to play football without needing to travel across busy roads to expensive commercial pitches.”
“This new pitch isn’t intended to replace our thriving community clubhouse at Inch Park Community Sports Club—it will complement it. The pavilion facilities at the Inch Park Nursery site will specifically cater to players, referees, and match officials, while the existing community club continues to host our wider community, educational activities, and social gatherings.”
Ian Murray who is also the local MP in Edinburgh South said: “Edinburgh South FC have been looking for a long time for new facilities. There is an offer on the table that they’ve been working very closely with the council on. But as with all these things, as a government minister it’s really frustrating how long things take, and we should be backing community clubs like Edinburgh South FC and getting things done as quickly as possible. I just encourage the council and my council colleagues, to get on with it and give them the support they require to be able to go and fundraise to build the facilities they need.”
Edinburgh council’s Culture and Communities Convener, Val Walker said: “We welcome the news today that the UK Government will invest in grassroots sports facilities. We have met with Edinburgh South Community Football Club and the team at Inch Park and have been working in partnership with them and the wider community on future plans. This has included the development of a masterplan and looking at relevant funding applications and options. While we view the application positively, we are working to resolve the competing demands and uses of the site.”
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/100-million-to-revamp-local-sports-facilities-across-uk
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