Meeting of the Parliament 10 December 2025
I, too, congratulate Keith Brown on securing this debate. Having confessed previously and publicly that sport, either as a participant or fan, is not in my DNA, colleagues might wonder—or perhaps not—why I have opted to speak in this debate. My motivation was that there appeared to be not one woman down to speak, and I thought that I had better step in, so I welcome the company of Carol Mochan. Even the sport-immune Christine Grahame cheered at the Scotland team securing that elusive place in the world cup, and doing it with such style, so here I am.
At first, it seemed that defeat was going to be snatched from the jaws of victory, which is so often the way of things with a Scotland team, but then—wow—those two extraordinary goals. The team played with heart and determination as well as flair. I will come to what that means for youth football but, first, I will say that I have been here before. I embraced Ally’s army during the 1978 world cup. Then, it was about panache, style and razzamatazz and not so much about skill. We were all full to the brim with the overrated and oversold expectations of the charismatic Ally MacLeod—bless him.
I repeat that today’s squad have heart and determination as well as skills. Their impact on the younger generations will be hugely positive.
Penicuik Athletic Football Club has been part of the town since 1888, built on volunteers, families and local sponsors. Penicuik Athletic Youth Football Club now runs more than 20 boys and girls teams—from the tiny early touches for four and five-year-olds through to the teenagers—so hundreds of young people are growing up active and confident. Football also gives them a place to belong.
It is not just about boys football anymore; girls football in Penicuik is booming, with dedicated squads in multiple age groups, matching the national picture, where female participation is now at a record high.
Arniston Rangers Youth Football Club in Gorebridge has some 300 youngsters between the ages of 2 and 16 playing. The number is growing rapidly each year given Gorebridge’s ever-expanding population, mostly of young families. There are games for many age groups, with Gore Glen being a great place to watch football each weekend. There is a girls section, with teams playing across age groups.