Dalkeith Thistle CFC - Scottish Cup Comes to Cowden'

Dalkeith Thistle CFC Pan Disability Scottish Cup winning team

Dalkeith Thistle PAN Disability Football team are the first Dalkeith Thistle CFC team to win a Scottish Cup the team are so proud to have brought the Scottish Cup to their home ground at Cowden Park in Dalkeith.

The team is in its debut season having formed only last September, the team lead by head coach Jamie Smith and Ann Phillips are also supported by Lothian Disability Sport has had an incredibly successful first season and the club are so proud of the amazing efforts that all the players have made.

The PAN Disability league is a series of bi-monthly league competitions for young players with a range of disabilities.

The programme is run by Scottish FA as part of their Scotland United initiative, the programme is in a 7 a side, festival format and involves nearly 40 clubs across Scotland.

Dalkeith Thistle CFC aims to continue to raise the profile and awareness of disability football by creating greater opportunities within Para-Football aiming to aspire others to realise that disability needn’t be a barrier to playing football which will allow participants to reach their full potential.

Dalkeith Thistle CFC PAN Disability Football team is open to men aged 16+ with a wide range of disabilities and aims to provide inclusive opportunities to gain new skills and assist with player development, it is hoped that this will encourage as many people as possible to participate in football and to become more involved in community-based activities.

Dalkeith Thistle CFC continues to go from strength to strength now having over 600 members and around 100 volunteers involved with the club and having achieved Scottish Football Association Platinum Award / Legacy status this season.

The Quality Mark is the Scottish FA’s programme designed to support and recognise the work of grassroots clubs and teams who have a desire to be the very best they can be. Legacy is the highest level which means that Dalkeith Thistle CFC are proud to have been able to meet every requirement of the programme and now have the successful achievements of the PAN disability football team to strengthen the club even further.

The club would like to thank everyone involved for their support and hard work behind the scenes which has made it all possible.