New initiative to promote six-a-side football games

Oct 24 2008 by Gordon Bannerman, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

AN initiative to help get more people into regular exercise across Scotland will come to Auchterarder in November, with the launch of a new six-a-side community football league.

It’s hoped that the weekly events will play a part in reducing Scotland’s heart disease and obesity rate by getting more local people into regular weekly exercise for the cost of a pint of beer.

The community six-a-side football league will be running every Monday evening from 7-9pm on the astroturf park at Auchterarder Community School and there is space for 16 teams to enter. The league officially kicks off on November 24.

Teams will play a half hour game each week in a league system with promotion and relegation at the end of the season.

There is no registration or affiliation fee and match costs are just £2.75 per player per week. Divisional winners and runners-up receive top quality individual trophies whilst there is also a top goalscorer competition.

The league is fully affiliated to the Scottish Football Association, with all matches being officiated by qualified SFA referees.

Equipment is provided so it’s simply a case of turning up and enjoying it

Anyone over the age of 16 can enter and you don’t need to be an organised or established team - you may simply be a group of friends, work colleagues or mates from the pub.

Soccer Sixes’ Scotland operations director, Stephen Mullane, said: “We have been running community small-sided leagues in Scotland for some time and now have the backing of the PSYBT and SFA so have decided to roll out our initiative to as many towns and cities as possible.

“If we can do our bit to help fight obesity by getting people into regular exercise then we’ll be happy. ”

Anyone interested in taking part can either contact the league organisers on 0870 3300888 for more info or teams can register online at www.soccersixes.net. Closing date for entries is November 17.