The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Monifieth club gets £98k cash boost for new pitch
Young Monifieth footballers are a step closer to playing on a new 3G synthetic grass training pitch thanks to nearly £100,000 in National Lottery funding.
Monifieth Athletic Football Club will receive £98,000 for the facility, with the club promising good access for the local community.
The pitch, which complements facilities at the club, should help boost participation rates in the sport among young people and players with a disability.
The side, which runs teams across various age groups, also plans to establish a girls’ section.
Marc Lorente, chairman of Monifieth Athletic FC, welcomed the “muchneeded” boost.
He said: “This is excellent. This will allow the club to progress to the initial stages of installing a 3G all-weather pitch.
“This will cater for the 300 players of all ages and abilities, as well as the wider Angus community.”
The club, like many others during lockdown, has had to move some of its training online.
“During lockdown the club has had to adapt to online fitness training classes for the youth players,” said Mr Lorente.
“We do not underestimate the effect on mental health for all the youngsters.
“To have an all-weather training pitch on the doorstep will be a massive boost for their health and
wellbeing. The executive committee will continue to work to secure the remainder of the funds.”
The welcome news comes just over a month after vandals struck at the club, damaging the playing surfaces and leaving dog waste in the goals area.
The cash will come from a more than £1.25 million
investment across Scotland made through sportscotland’s Sport Facilities Fund.
Administrators have given priority to projects with a focus on increasing participation in sport and physical activity.
They want to increase numbers among young people, women and girls,
disabled people, as well as deprived or rural communities.
Scottish Government sports minister and Angus North MSP Mairi Gougeon said: “We know that being active brings about positive changes beyond participation and can impact positively on people in communities.”