Edinburgh football club says council must 'act now' amid fear of missing out on share of £8.6m government fund

The largest youth football club in the east of Scotland say they will miss out on a new £8.6 million boost for grassroots sports facilities - unless Edinburgh Council finally give the green light for a new permanent home ground.

Edinburgh South Community Football Club welcomed Ian Murray MP, Secretary of State for Scotland, announcing that the UK Government is to invest significant sums in Scottish facilities. However, South are still waiting for the city's local authority to follow through on promises to deliver a site at Inch Park Nursery, on the south side of the capital, which would enable them to access external funding for a full-sized floodlit all-weather pitch meeting SFA licensing criteria, plus a pitch-side pavilion with changing facilities and essential physio/first aid spaces.

With over 1000 registered players playing across 75 teams, and a free Soccer School programme attracting up to 120 kids aged 5-8 every weekend, the club fear that council delays will leave one of Scotland's biggest community clubs out in the wilderness as funding is allocated. Over 200 volunteers support the club's operation, from administrative staff to qualified team coaches.

Current facilities ‘overstretched and inadequate for club with 1000-plus players’

Joe Sneddon, Chief Executive of Edinburgh South CFC, said: “Despite significant investment announced by the UK Government, our local community risks missing out unless the City of Edinburgh Council delivers on its previous commitment of land at the Inch Park Nursery site. We are not asking the council to directly fund this project—we simply need them to formally secure the land, which will allow us to access external funding.

“This will make a transformational difference for hundreds of local children, especially our rapidly expanding girls’ and women’s sections. As any of our 200-plus volunteers would testify, we face weekly disruptions due to a severe lack of suitable local venues for community teams to train and play.

“Existing facilities are overstretched and inadequate to meet growing demand, leading to children being regularly turned away and limiting opportunities for participation, particularly within the club’s thriving girls’ and women’s football sections. Each week, families across South East Edinburgh experience first-hand the impacts of insufficient local sports infrastructure.

“With ongoing housing growth, the demand for quality community football facilities is higher than ever. We're now urging the council to swiftly confirm its support, ensuring the community of South East Edinburgh fully benefits from this landmark grassroots sports funding announcement."

South’s plan for a new facility provides teams – up to and including the women’s and men’s senior sides – with a permanent home meeting all SFA, Scottish Women’s Football and East of Scotland Football League criteria, as well as a training venue for teams across all age groups. The plan is to build it within a short walk of South’s exiting Inch Park Community Sport Clubs, which will remain the club’s main community and social hub.

Sneddon added: "We’ve taken inspiration from clubs like Blackburn United and Spartans, who successfully balanced their league-level infrastructure with wider community needs. Like those projects, this new facility will greatly benefit the local primary school—giving children a safe, accessible, and high-quality place to play football without needing to travel across busy roads to expensive commercial pitches.

"This new pitch isn't intended to replace our thriving community clubhouse at Inch Park Community Sports Club—it will complement it. The pavilion facilities at the Inch Park Nursery site will specifically cater to players, referees, and match officials, while the existing community club continues to host our wider community, educational activities, and social gatherings."

What Ian Murray and SFA have said on £8.6m campaign

The Scottish FA released a statement saying they were delighted to have been awarded £8.6m of funding from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to enhance football and sport facilities across the country.

SFA President Mike Mulraney said: “When I became President, I made no secret of the fact that improving facilities at all levels should be the association’s number one priority. We are grateful to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and partners for this latest commitment, which will enable us to further improve the infrastructure of our national sport.

“This will increase participation, improve health and wellbeing and allow more people to experience the Power of Football. It follows the Scottish FA’s commitment to ensuring profits are diverted to facilities and infrastructure via our Pitching In campaign and I look forward to further strengthening our partnership with UK Government, DCMS and Scottish Government, as well as philanthropic and business communities, to rejuvenate Scottish football’s facilities footprint.”

Ian Murray, Secretary of State for Scotland, commented: "Grassroots sports are the backbone of Scottish communities, providing opportunities for individuals of all ages and abilities to take part in physical activities."Through this scheme almost 100 facilities across Scotland, including in our island and rural communities, have been built or upgraded and with this new funding we can look forward to many more.

“As a lifelong football fan I am excited as we build towards hosting Euro2028. I look forward to working with the SFA to ensure everyone has the opportunity to play our national sport - as we support the team on the biggest stage.”

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