Denis Law backing Johan Cruyff sports centre plans

● Granite City to host first centre in Scotland inspired by Dutch star

Scotland’s first Cruyff Court is being built in Aberdeen with the help of Scottish football legend Denis Law.

The new sports court on Catherine Street will receive an overhaul to give children from deprived areas opportunities to play football and street hockey in an urban environment.

The £250,000 venture has been backed by former Manchester United player Denis Law and will be jointly funded by the Denis Law Legacy Trust, the council and Streetsport.

Cruyff Courts were launched by Dutch footballer Johan Cruyff – who died in March – to provide safe places for children to play sports in city neighbourhoods which had lost green spaces.

By2016morethan200courts had been built in cities across the world, with some of the first ventures becoming playing grounds for future professional players.

Hunter Construction Ltd will build the Denis Law Cruyff Court. The firm are specialists in artificial grass sports pitches and will begin working on the astroturf in October. Denis Law Legacy Trust chairman Graham Thom said he hoped it would be the first of many in Scotland.

He said: “We are determined that we don’t want this first Cruyff Court to be a one-off.

“There is the potential for others and if we, in Aberdeen, continue to be at the forefront of these facilities being delivered elsewhere then we are convinced this programme will work wonders for communities in various parts of Aberdeen and beyond.

“Statistics show a correlation between sport and encouraging young people to become better citizens which, in the end, is what we are trying to achieve. Aberdeen City Council has recognised this and once we have the first court up and running, we will look to the future.”

The trust is already involved in other initiatives across the city, including its Streetsport programme based at Robert Gordon University. Youngsters in poorer neighbourhoods are offered free sports sessions in mobile activity arenas under the scheme.

Mr Thom said: “We will continue to target those areas which need our help and endeavour to attract those who live outwith the city centre to utilise the Cruyff Court to the full.”