Perth quartet chase cup title
Four teams from Perth are going for glory in the last 16 of the Scottish Futsal Cup.
PYF Saltires, PYF Academy, Fair City Santos and Letham Futsal Club all learned of their opponents following the draw at Bell’s Sports Centre this week.
The growing popularity of futsal, a fivesided game played with a reduced bounce ball, has led to increased competition across the country.
Perth’s Letham have plans to advance further than their quarter final performance last season but first face a trip to take on Dundee West.
“Last year we made it to the quarter finals and we would like to equal that as a minimum,” said Letham secretary Jon Kidd.
“Dundee West are well set-up and are having a good season so we will relish the challenge.
“Futsal is a big part of the club growth model and we now have weekly sessions running for youths and adults on a Wednesday night.
“This has seen us expand to have two SFL teams, two U13 teams and an U11 team.
“We have a talented and committed group of volunteers who support the section with recruiting, coaching and back room roles.”
Booking a place in Scottish Futsal’s Super League, where the country’s best teams compete, is the main priority for Letham.
Letham have made use of the new court at Perth College UHI this season They currently ply their trade in the important part of that. Perth league and Kidd said: “We were “We put a lot of time and effort into unsuccessful in our application to join recruiting players to the game and the Super League this year. developing them as Futsal players.
“That was despite our club’s strong futsal “We don’t want to be in the position of development pathway. We absolutely want then losing players to teams who can offer to be pushing to get into the league as soon them Super League games.” as we can. For what started off as a solitary team,
“Throughout Letham Community Letham can now boast multiple squads Sports Club our objective is to offer our of varying age. players the opportunity to play at the And plans are in place to build on the highest level they can. current set-up.
“Being in the Super League is an Kidd explained: “In the coming year we aim to start another U11 team, at least one U9 team and an U15 team.
“These teams are for both boys and girls and the number of girls we have involved continues to grow which is a real positive for us.
“Futsal is receiving a lot of attention in Scotland both as a football development tool and as sport in its own right.
“We aim to be leading the way in this area.
“A club of our size must always strive to offer the best to our members and being at the forefront of developments in the game is part of that offering.
“Our members have taken to futsal in a big way, so much so that our teams are oversubscribed.
“What the sport really needs now is active support and involvement at youth level from the SFA.
“The Scottish Futsal League is affiliated to the SAFA and enjoys good support from them and the SFA, which combined with the leagues volunteers has seen it blossom.
“The youth ages don’t currently have such a link with the governing body.
“And until that is achieved the development of futsal for youths will continue to be a slow fragmented process.”
Scottish Futsal Cup last 16 draw in full: Adventure Kicks v PYF Saltires, Dryburgh Athletic v TMT, TCB Futsal Club v University of Edinburgh, Montrose Futsal Club v Polonia Dundee, Five Cities v PYF Academy, Dundee West v Letham Futsal Club, Dundee Futsal v Polonia Edinburgh, Wattcell Futsal v Glasgow Deaf or Fair City Santos. Ties to be played by the end of March.