Glasgow Times

Flat refits get thumbs-up from old footie star pals

CHILDHOOD NEIGHBOURS RECREATE PHOTO FROM 1980S

- By STEWART PATERSON Political Correspond­ent

FOOTBALLIN­G next-door neighbours Charlie Nicholas and Jim Duffy returned to their childhood homes to kick off a multimilli­onpound housing investment.

Celtic and Scotland legend Nicholas and former Partick Thistle and Dundee star Duffy – now boss at Morton – grew up in neighbouri­ng homes in Glenfinnan Road in Wyndford.

In the 1980s as they set out on their careers, the pair were pictured in the Evening Times at their flats in the Maryhill area.

The friends got together to recreate the photo as they launched Cube Housing’s £40 million community investment programme yesterday.

The cash will see almost 3,000 homes across the Cube estate, including Wyndford, upgraded internally with new bathrooms, and hundreds fitted with new windows and heating systems.

New CCTV will be installed and new outdoor lighting to make communitie­s safer.

The football stars were pleased to see the investment.

Sky Sports pundit Nicholas said: “I’m chuffed to bits to see the money that’s been spent here.

“I’ve tremendous memories from growing up in the Wyndford. It was a great community, the sort of place where you could leave your front and back doors open. There was a real togetherne­ss.”

Morton manager, Duffy, said: “Wyndford is a place where families have lived for generation­s.

“The importance of community should never be undervalue­d.

“Investment like this to keep homes in good condition is appreciate­d by people and it means people will want to stay here.

“I couldn’t have had a better place to grow up in.

“When the quality of homes is of a good standard people won’t want to move away. I’m delighted Cube are investing in Wyndford.”

As well as Wyndford, improvemen­t work will take place in Broomhill, and in Cube communitie­s across the west of Scotland.

Liz Ruine, Cube chairwoman, said: “We want all our customers to live in top-quality, modern homes and then to step outside into a community they feel safe in.

“All of us at Cube are really looking forward to working with local people in each of our neighbourh­oods on bringing forward environmen­tal improvemen­ts people tell us will make the biggest difference to their community.”

I’ve tremendous memories from growing up in the Wyndford estate

 ??  ?? Old pals act: Charlie Nicholas and Jim Duffy help launch Cube Housing’s £40million community investment programme yesterday
Old pals act: Charlie Nicholas and Jim Duffy help launch Cube Housing’s £40million community investment programme yesterday
 ??  ?? The young football stars as they appeared in the Evening Times photo taken in the 1980s
The young football stars as they appeared in the Evening Times photo taken in the 1980s

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