Boys’ football club Southside United is going from strength to strength and want to expand further through use of the empty building in Queen’s Park Recreation Ground, giving them a permanent base.

The club started out with seven members in August 2002 and has grown to boast 150 members from all over the Southside, from Pollokshields to Toryglen to Govanhill. 

The building has lain empty for years, and the club’s Chairman Robert Green wants it used again for changing rooms and storing equipment currently lugged across the city by parents and volunteers to training sessions.

Mr Green told the LOCAL NEWS, ‘We’ve come this far and we’re capable of doubling the numbers, but we need a permanent base to work from and this building is ideal. It’s been lying empty for about 18 years.’

Langside Councillor Archie Graham told the LOCAL NEWS, ‘I fully support Southside United’s efforts to get the building opened up again for the benefit of the Southside. As Executive Member for Sport, as well as one of the local Councillors, I will be contacting the Head of Sports at Glasgow City Council to come and discuss a timeframe with Robert and other interested parties.’

The club also recently received more than £3500 from Sense over Sectarianism (SOS). £2000 of the cash was used to buy football kits branded with the SOS logo, and the rest of the money will be used for training sessions and workshops, delivered by coaches from both Rangers and Celtic football clubs.

Mr Green added, ‘Because the kids are from all over the Southside, it’s obviously a great thing to bring them together in a cross-community way like this, helping them to overcome sectarian and territorial problems.’