Annual footie festival is ready for kick off
The much anticipated fifth annual Reamonn Gormley Memorial Soccer Festival takes place this weekend.
Over 1600 players from football clubs across the country are expected to take part in the three-day event.
It will kick off with a sponsored walk around Strathclyde Park on Friday, June 3, for younger members of the soccer academy, followed by two fun-filled days of football action at Hamilton Palace Grounds on Saturday and Sunday, June 4 and 5.
Taking part will be teams of fun fours, fives, seven-a-side, 11-a-side, disability football, amateurs and more.
The event will once again raise money for the Good Child Foundation — the Thai charity supported by the family of teenager Reamonn, who was stabbed to death in Blantyre five years ago while walking home from the Parkville Hotel.
The Good Child Foundation is a charity for children with Down’s Syndrome - and one that meant a lot to teenager Reamonn.
Special guests will be making appearances at the festival over the weekend including the unveiling of the Soccer Academy’s new mascot. South Lanarkshire Provost Eileen Logan will also attend the festival and carry out medal presentations in the main indoor football pitch at 1pm.
Blantyre Soccer Academy chairman Jimmy Whelan told the Advertiser this week:“this year’s event is expected to be just as popular, if not more.
“The weather looks set to be fantastic this weekend so why not pop along to Palace Grounds and support this fab festival of football.”