Drumchapel United FC secures Glasgow Club Donald Dewar lease

Drumchapel United Football Club, based in the heart of the town, will now take control of the pitches at Glasgow Club Donald Dewar after the Glasgow City Council approved the long-term lease.

The facilities include one floodlit 3G pitch and three grass pitches.

Scott Bland, club secretary and CEO of Drumchapel United Football Club, said: "Today marks a historic day for our club and our community, as we secure a 25-year lease of the Donald Dewar pitches in the heart of Drumchapel on our 25th Anniversary.

"This achievement represents years of hard work, dedication and belief, and throughout this process we heard from children eager for a place to play, young people looking for opportunities to develop, and adults who wanted better facilities for future generations.

"This is about more than pitches.

"It is about investing in people, creating opportunities and building a brighter future for Drumchapel."

The transfer was made under the council’s People Make Glasgow Communities (PMGC) programme, which allows local groups and organisations to play a greater role in managing community facilities.

Councillor Ruairi Kelly, convener for development and land use at Glasgow City Council, said the club had already demonstrated its ability to manage the site.

Mr Kelly said: "We’ve seen in other parts of the city how clubs go from strength to strength when they take over the running of the facilities and it’s time Drumchapel had a slice of that action.

"Drumchapel is a community with a rich footballing pedigree and, who knows, maybe Drumchapel United will turn out some of Scotland’s World Cup stars of the future.

"But this transfer goes beyond the teams on the pitch.

"It’s a real vote of confidence in the Drumchapel Community, giving it control over a very important local asset and providing an opportunity for more residents to get involved with the programmes Drumchapel United are offering.

"So well done to all involved and I’ve no doubt this transfer will complement the ongoing transformation of The Drum."

The club has operated the pitches since 2022, following the start of community use under the PMGC scheme.

Before the pandemic, the wider Glasgow Club Donald Dewar facility was run by Glasgow Life, which continues to manage the remainder of the site.

The club offers football alongside education and community programmes, working with partners including the SFA, Glasgow Life, UEFA, NHS Health Improvement Teams and Sported.

The facility currently serves more than 40 teams, 700 players and around 100 volunteers.

Drumchapel United aims to increase this to 1,000 players in the first year under the new lease.

The deal will also allow the club to raise funds to improve the facilities and will ensure longer opening hours for community use.

As part of the application, Drumchapel United submitted a business model, community engagement plan and financial projections, all of which were assessed by a panel of City Council and Glasgow Life officers.

The PMGC programme has led to similar success in other parts of the city.

Most recently, Pollok United’s takeover of the Nethercraigs Sports Complex resulted in the club being named Europe’s Best Grassroots Football Club by UEFA.

Other transfers under the scheme include Castlemilk Community Football Trust at Barlia Sports Complex, Park Villa Football Development at Glasgow Club Drumoyne, and Toryglen Community Youth Project at the Geoff Shaw Community Centre.