Street Stuff to hold youth football festival on the pitch at St Mirren FC

Young footballers are being given the opportunity to sample life as a professional and take to the field at the Simple Digital Arena, home of St Mirren Football Club.

Part of the celebrations to mark Street Stuff’s ten-year anniversary of working in the Renfrewshire community, aspiring footballers will have the opportunity to cross the white line and play on the pitch as part of a festival of football.

The five-a-side football event is free for all Street Stuff participants, aged 8-16, and will take place in the evening of Wednesday 15 May.

Players can register individually or as a team, with all consent forms to be returned to St Mirren in advance of the tournament taking place.

St Mirren FC Manager, Oran Kearney, said “The people of Paisley and Renfrewshire have given the team brilliant support in my time at the club so it’s great that the young people of Renfrewshire will get the opportunity to play on the pitch at the stadium and have the chance to emulate their heroes.”

Since its inception in 2009, Street Stuff has seen more than 200,000 young people come through its doors, each having the opportunity to take part in sport, make new friends and engage in social activities.

A firm fixture of the community for a decade, the programme has contributed to a sustained reduction of 65% in reported youth disorder and anti-social behaviour in Renfrewshire.

Street Stuff provides activities such as football, dance and gaming six days a week, as well as hosting four holiday camps throughout the year where a healthy meal is provided to each young person who attends – with more than 26,000 healthy meals provided in the last four years.

Councillor Marie McGurk, Convener of Renfrewshire Council’s Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board, said: “What a fantastic opportunity for our young people to make it out of the stands and onto the pitch at St Mirren and hopefully we can inspire the next generation of footballers for the club.

“Street Stuff works hard to provide opportunities for sport and exercise for young people that they may not otherwise have the chance to experience and the work of our staff, coaches and volunteers really is changing the lives of young people in Renfrewshire.

The project runs in partnership between Renfrewshire Council, St Mirren Football Club, Police Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and Engage Renfrewshire.

For more information on how to sign up, visit www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/StreetStuff.