Red card for council grass cutting
We’re supposed to be encouraging our young people to keep active and take part in sports to stay healthy, but The SNP-led Renfrewshire Council made it impossible for a local youth football team to play their game last weekend.
The council hadn’t cut the grass on the pitch the team had booked, at Moredun Playing Fields and you couldn’t see the lines underneath the long grass.
In fact, the grass was so long, it covered one of Evro Football Pro Youth Academy club official’s trainers when he was standing on the park. As well as not being able to see the lines on the park, you couldn’t properly pass the ball along the ground as it was getting stuck in the grass.
And that was only if you managed to get by the lions hiding in the long grass waiting for the herds of antelope and wildebeests to wander past.
I was tagged in an Evro Tweet alerting me to this situation and since people expect their councillors to be on the ball - especially the political leftwingers like myself- I contacted the council director in charge of the football parks in Renfrewshire and tackled him about the state of the Moredun Park. I asked for the grass to be cut as soon as possible.
This was on Monday of this week and the following day Tuesday, I was told the grass had been cut and the pitch newly - lined that morning.
Now that’s what I call a result, getting something done for the local community without having to go into extra time.
Now I had graced the Moredun pitches many a time both as goalkeeper with the Fulbar Inn Sunday League team and as the Jose Mourinho-esque manager of the St Peter’s Under 16’s and Under 17’s youth teams who won trophies in cup finals played at Moredun.
So, I decided to revisit this field of football dreams later on Tuesday afternoon with a ball at my feet to check if the grass had been cut and the pitch re-lined.
Sure enough it was and my passing was as crisp and accurate as ever, as the size five cudger whizzed across the turf. (anyone who doesn’t know what a cudger is should ask their dad or grandad) My visit to the pitches reminded me of my playing days with the Fulbar Inn team. We used to meet at the pub in Fulbar Road, which is no longer there, before and after games.
Our team talks, which took place in the bar, were always spirited affairs - four whiskies, three vodkas, four Bacardis and a wee diet cola for me - and we were ready for all - comers.
However, on a serious note, the problem at Moredun last weekend is just symptomatic of the council not doing the basics right.
I’ve spoken many times about the bread and butter issues that affect people’s lives and how they aren’t being tackled.
One week it’s the state of streets not being cleaned properly; then it’s hedges and trees in residential areas not being cut back and the next it’s the increase in rat infestations. The list goes on.
In football parlance, the SNP politicians in charge of our communities need to get their tactics right - otherwise when it comes to the council elections next year they’ll be getting a red card from voters. And so they should.