Transfer deal to aid ‘new blood’
Brig switch to Kingdom of Fife confirmed
A summer transfer deal of a different kind has taken place in the Perthshire amateur football scene.
Bridge of Earn AFC have made the switch to the Kingdom of Fife AFA for the 2020/21 season.
The Brig sat third in the A&B Taxi Division One table, eight points off table-topping Letham with a game in hand, before all matches were suspended in mid-March.
The Victory Park club’s decision was to help improve “the club, the manager, the players and the pathway for new blood coming through at the Brig”.
A recent statement on the club’s social media page said: “The scene in and around amateur football is understandably really quiet at present.
“However, the committee and manager have been working away as much as they possibly can to keep things moving forward.
“And moving is one thing we will be doing for the 2020/21 season.
“We got our official SAFA confirmation of our transfer to the Kingdom of Fife AFA.
“The club are delighted to have been accepted and are very much looking forward to the challenge of improving the club, the manager, the players and the pathway for new blood coming through at the Brig.
“We are under no illusions of the task ahead, but it’s one we are very much going to embrace and enjoy.
“In the meantime, we wish our supporters, followers and current association and its members all the best during this difficult period.
“We are hoping you all stay safe and very healthy.”
Following the news of the club’s transfer, it was announced they have been selected to receive a CIF grant for £7650 to continue the maintenance and improvement of the Victory Park pavilion.
“The pavilion was first erected in 1909 and has housed Bridge of Earn AFC and many youth teams since 1971,” a further statement read.
“As part of the village’s and club’s history, we see it as part of our responsibility to preserve the building and peruse better quality facilities for the future generations that play in the Brig youth sides to utilise and enjoy like so many have done so in the past.
“The grant will help to build an additional store room to hold all football equipment and allow easy access for all clubs under the Brig umbrella, as well as upgrading the current showers, and installing new ones for the away teams who visit us.
“Finally [it will] improve the kitchen facilities allowing for food to be safely served on match days.
“We would like to place on record that the money granted is to be utilised for building materials only and all the subsequent expertise and labour has been secured through volunteers and zero renumeration will be taken by anyone.
“The club would like to thank the current and past committee, management team and players, who are freely giving their time as part of this project. We cannot emphasise enough how much we appreciate your goodwill and efforts.
“Unfortunately the current situation has put an initial halt to any work starting, but once it does we are hoping to secure a skip as well as the services of a tree surgeon to help clear the area for groundworks to begin. If anyone is able to support this part of the project then please get in touch.
“Another step in a great direction for the club.”
The club also recently announced the recruitment of new club committee member Roddy Gowrie.
Roddy is well known around the amateur football scene in Perth having recently managed Dunkeld and Birnam FC for the past few years.