Unite the Clubs Petition to the Scottish Parliament

For more than 60 years, community-based facilities for football and other traditionally low-entry cost sports have been allowed to deteriorate to a truly shocking level.

Changing facilities are typically out of date, substandard, neglected, damp, unhygienic and at times hazardous.

Many pitches are badly drained, rutted and verge on unplayable for large parts of the year as a result of poor maintenance. Goal posts are often bent or broken.

Despite their shortcomings, pitches and facilities are also expensive to hire. Facilities based on school premises are costly to hire too, and at times difficult for community-based clubs to gain access to.

A number of community-based clubs, run entirely by volunteers, would be keen to develop their own facilities in return for long-term leases, but have been unable to do so. Many clubs are simply struggling to survive.

For this situation to be allowed to continue at a time when we should be encouraging young people to participate in sports as part of our bid to shed our unenviable reputation as a 'nation of 'couch potatoes' is insupportable.

Clubs across Scotland have finally decided that enough is enough and that it's time to do something to stop the rot.

This petition will be delivered to the Scottish Parliament at the end of the Unite the Clubs march through Edinburgh City Centre at 1:30pm on 14th February 2007.