Teamwork will benefit club and community
Armadale Thistle have joined forces with a local charity to find new talent and help the community.
The Dale have announced that they would be joining forces with the charity Sports and Wellbeing.
The charity is based in Fauldhouse and Longridge and currently have nearly 800 children registered for their football sessions.
While both groups hope to find new talent on the football park, it was the charity’s work in the community that caught the attention of Armadale Thistle.
Secretary, Scott Watson, says the club approached them with a view to trying to help the wider community.
He explained: “I noticed earlier in the year Sport and Wellbeing had organised Burns Suppers and were out delivering them in their area so I got in touch with them.
“We obviously have our community club here acting as a feeder but this will be different.
“Yes, we will be looking out for new talent, and are hoping to have our own under-19s and -17s soon, but Sport and Wellbeing also help people living with disabilities and pensioners and these are people we want to help too. We can’t expect folk to come out and see us playing every week if we are not giving anything back.”
CEO and founder of Sport and Wellbeing, Colin Martin, started out as a youth player with Dundee United before injury cut short his career.
He moved into coaching and after spells in different capacities at Cowdenbeath and East Fife he moved into management with spells at Harthill, Whitburn Juniors and West Calder United.
Now he hopes to put that experience to good use, and help provide Armadale Thistle with some new blood.
He said: “Armadale Thistle are a sleeping giant and with them moving to an astroturf pitch next season this will open up big opportunities for bringing the community on board.
“I am out watching sessions all the time with the charity and already recommend players to clubs so this will be good for Armadale.”
Colin has been studying behavioural science in recent years and volunteers at St John’s Hospital and local nursing homes.
He says helping the community is now his focus more than football.
Colin continued: “We have been running sessions for people from all backgrounds, and have a night for people with Autism and Attention Deficit Disorder – we want to keep growing as a charity.
“Moving into Armadale is a great chance to do that and we hope to have sessions in Bathgate and Livingston soon too.”
Facilitator at Sport and Wellbeing, Wull Mullen, is excited to see the charity growing.
He said: “Colin and I already knew some of the guys at Armadale through the junior game so this seemed a good idea.
“We want to get the football sessions up and running and help people who have been struggling during the pandemic and then we will be moving onto helping the winder community.”