Youngsters in Possilpark will have a safe, modern place to play for free for years to come following the completion of a new all-weather astroturf pitch at Glasgow Perthshire FC (GPFC).

The 136-year-old club has become much more than a Saturday football ground. During school holidays, local children are given free access to its facilities through community programmes, while the ground is also used by local groups and for charity football matches.

GPFC even offers supporters free membership for its home matches, part of manager Billy Adams’ determination that money should not prevent people from being part of the club.

Billy said:

“Everything’s free so everybody is treated the same. My mum had six boys and we all played football. She was a single parent and, if that was now and it was £30 or £40 a head for us to play, we couldn’t have done it."

“You come in here and whether you’re a millionaire or you’ve got nothing, you’re treated the same. That’s us trying to give something back to the community and keep football alive in the community.”

The new all-purpose pitch replaces an ageing second-hand astroturf surface which had been in place for a decade and had developed holes and trip hazards.

Billy says Glasgow Perthshire’s ground is now the only football pitch remaining in Possilpark, an area he remembers having around a dozen pitches some 15 years ago.

The new surface can be used not only for football but for activities including netball and rounders, or even community events, giving local children and community groups a flexible outdoor space to come together.

Beyond football the ground is used by community organisations during the school holidays and hosts charity matches for local people and causes. Billy said the club’s aim has always been to create a place that encourages a community spirit, with groups including the local community centre and housing associations making use of its facilities.

The project was made possible with £30,000 from Allied Vehicles Charitable Trust which was established by Possilpark-based Allied Vehicles Group and donates £240,000 a year to charities and community organisations around its north Glasgow headquarters and further afield.

Billy said Gerry Facenna, founder of Allied Vehicles, became involved after seeing the work taking place at the club and the number of local children using its facilities.

“It means everything for the weans because most of them have nothing,” Billy said, “All they’ve had in the past here is second-hand stuff, sometimes falling apart. But this is the real deal this time."

“My aim is to keep it going and take the club and the community forward. I want whoever takes over from me to have a chance because they’ll inherit better facilities than I inherited.”

Gerry Facenna, founder and owner of Allied Vehicles, said:

“I grew up in Possilpark, so I know how important it is that young people here have somewhere they can go, play and be part of their community. Billy has given an extraordinary amount of his life to Glasgow Perthshire and to keeping this club open to local people."

“What struck me was that he isn’t asking what the community can do for the club, he’s constantly looking at what the club can give back to the community. We’re proud to help him give local youngsters a first-class facility that they can enjoy without their families having to worry about the cost."

On a recent visit to the new facility with Gerry Facenna, Lord Provost of Glasgow, Jacqueline McLaren, said:

“Having somewhere safe and welcoming to get active is so important for young people. It supports their physical and mental wellbeing, gives them the chance to make friends and, importantly, to simply get outside, play and have fun."

“The fact that youngsters can come here and take part without cost being a barrier makes it even more valuable. This new pitch is a terrific investment in Possilpark and a community asset that can be enjoyed for many years to come.”

For Billy Adams, the new surface secures something increasingly rare in Possilpark: a place where local youngsters can simply turn up, get active and play. As he puts it, Glasgow Perthshire’s purpose is straightforward: “You’ve got to give something. If you’re only in it to take for yourself, that’s not what community is all about.”

Photo: L-R: Billy Adams, Lord Provost Jacqueline McLaren, Gerry Facenna