Once they forged bath taps and fittings here.

Today at the Foundry the coaches of Barrhead Amateur Boxing Club are forging futures.

The name of the community hub in Barrhead pays tribute to John Shanks’ Tubal Works, opened in the area in 1866 by the renowned plumbing engineer.

Noth i ng remai ns of his pioneering brass foundry today.

In fact, nothing much remains of the old sports centre that stood on the original site unti l its £ 4million transformation in the last few years.

One thing, though, has remained unaltered – the boxing club.

Cel e b rat ing the i r 4 0 th anniversary this year, they still train in the same gym where their first punches were thrown in 1976.

Nominated in the Local Club of the Year category at the 2016 Scottish Sports Awards, brought to you by the Sunday Mail and

sportscotland, the national agency for sport, the Barrhead club have been commended for helping boys and girls learn the discipline, commitment and determination that will shape their adult lives.

Mark Bresl in, who teaches physical education, health and wellbeing at Glasgow University, joined the club when he was eight.

Thirty-six years later, the former pro – forced to retire injured after an undefeated 15-0 career as a light welterweight – is one of the club’s seven coaches.

He didn’t hesitate to get involved again when he returned to his hometown after 13 years spent teaching in England.

Breslin said: “The club had a huge inf luence on me and I was