Pitfour buzzing over stepping up a level
Boss Garry ready for challenge
Garry Smith (left), Pitfour AFC’s manager, receives a sponsorship cheque from A&J Stephen managing director John Stephen Excitement is building for Pitfour ahead of their move into the amateur football set-up this coming season.
The St Madoes side had their application accepted to join the Perthshire leagues last week following the association’s annual general meeting.
Pitfour will enter Division Two and manager Garry Smith (44) believes it is about time the Carse of Gowrie was represented in the amateurs.
“We had our team from under nine level all the way up,” Garry explained. “It was always our goal to have an amateur team at Pitfour.
“We have been very lucky that a lot of our guys have been picked up by professional teams through the age groups.
“But we wanted a team that we could still call Pitfour which would still have the family feel about it.
“There has been a lot of interest within the club and this is what we want to do.
“When I was asked to take on the reins, I thought why not. We’ve put the feelers out to see if there is enough interest and there undoubtedly is.
“On the player side of things, I’m not concerned. I know that we will get plenty of bodies down to play.
“A lot of the young guys from the previous under-17 team have expressed interest to come back.
“Also older heads who have played in the area in years gone by. There have been a lot of well-wishers and a great response all round.
“We have A&J Stephen, who are going to sponsor our strips, and also support from Lee Walker Fencing.”
Garry has experience of playing amateur football himself and he reckons the set-up at Pitfour will provide the perfect base.
He said: “We have a fantastic park and changing rooms. The park is maintained by our own committee and some of the young lads even cut the grass.
“I played for Glencarse amateurs when I was 18, which is 26 years ago now. It’s been a long time since there was an amateur team in the area.
“I remember back in those days it was an old shed that had no electric and no running water.
“Now we have the facilities down at St Madoes and are able to pull players from the far end of Perthshire at Longforgan right through to Perth.
“We’re in an ideal position to have a strong club for many years to come. I hope I’m a better manager than I was a player!”
Garry and his young team realise the difficulty of the challenge ahead but feel they will be a positive addition.
“My youngest son played for Scone amateurs in the last few games of the season so I got a taste of what the standard is like,” Garry said.
“I think we will be a good addition to the league.
“By no accounts do I think we are going to run away with anything but we look forward to adding something new.
“We will have a young squad and that is what I would like to base it on to take into the years ahead.”
Pitfour amateurs held a trial on Saturday afternoon as preseason training begins to get under way.