Goal-scoring girls go for national cup place

Lochgilphead Joint Campus hosted the Argyll-wide stage of a national football competition last Thursday, welcoming teams for the SPAR National Cup.

The SPAR Future Stars Football Cup is a nationwide girls’ football competition stretching across all six Scottish FA regions. This is an opportunity for girls aged 12-16 years to participate in a competitive, fun and inclusive competition for their school.

The competition includes two age group sections; S1/2 and S3/4. From the local rounds, the aim is to qualify for a regional round. The top schools at the regional rounds then go on to the national round.

The Lochgilphead tournament kicked off with teams from Rothesay, Campbeltown, Lochgilphead and Helensburgh schools.

There was success for all the age-group teams involved, and a goal fest on the day, with top goal scorer for Lochgilphead and team captain Ailidh Innes helping her own team to qualification for the regional phase of the competition.

She said: ‘I’m extremely happy with both the team and the result.’

It is hoped that this kind of event, organised by football development officers both in Argyll and at a national level with the support of the Scottish Football Association (SFA), to inspire the talented young players to continue to progress and achieve success in building both physical skills and self-esteem.

Niamh Russell, girls’ and women’s club development officer (west region) from the SFA, who attended the tournament on the day, said: ‘Thanks firstly to Lochgilphead and liveArgyll for hosting this round of the competition – it’s good to see lots of schools from the region getting together to play girls’ football.

‘Well done to all schools, and to all those who qualified for the west regional round, we wish them all the best.’

A special thank-you is also due to both Ewan Fergusson and Kirstin Blair who have helped model the competitive but friendly attitude among Lochgilphead’s players in their capacity as both sports ambassadors and hot chocolate vendors, providing some much-needed hot drinks after the games with the help of the other S6 pupils.

The day was a great success and a fitting showcase for all the talented young players who could be the future face of Scottish women’s football.