Blantyre Soccer Academy – is a registered charity SC043613 whose objectives are to advance public participation in amateur sport of football by promoting the game of football through the provision of recreational facilities and activities.

Based at 80, Calder Street, they aim to improve the fitness and health of the persons for whom the facilities/activities are primarily intended and to provide a safe environment to encourage and promote the development of football, health, self-esteem, health and friendship within the community of Blantyre and its environs. This is achieved with age groups of children from 3 years to 19 years of age also an adult amateur team and an over 35’s team.

They also are a Full Disability Club and provide a full player pathway. In their R & C the committee of the Academy outline the genesis, rationale, objectives and future proposed development of the association and where they see themselves progressing towards in the short, medium and long term.

They are a real community club, “Building a Better Blantyre One Person at a Time” Blantyre Soccer Academy as a whole has, since its inception in 2010, been organised and run solely by volunteer coaches and administrative staff and exists as a non-profit making venture. As a self-funded organisation of volunteers they of course rely very much so on the goodwill of the local community they seek to serve. They aim to provide facilities and equipment and it will be available to anyone irrespective of race, colour, religion, sex, sexuality or disabilities. They aim to promote a respect for diversity and encourage people to take pride in themselves and their teammates through the game of football. As such they source sponsorship from local sympathetic businesses and other individuals who share the mission aims of our project.

Like all such organisations, which exist and thrive and are dependent on the goodwill of the local community, BSA is always seeking to source alternative mechanisms for funding so as to ensure our organisation continues to thrive and play a vital role in our local community in terms of social cohesion and integration. Blantyre Soccer Academy plays a highly significant role in providing diversionary activities, interventions and opportunities for young people in the Blantyre area, although they stress they are not limited solely too young people from Blantyre and positively welcome those from other districts to participate in all our activities.

They strive to promote positive living, nutrition, discipline and exercise and in still in young people the advantages of a healthy lifestyle. Blantyre Soccer Academy seeks to provide our young people with positive role models and regularly invites successful sports persons to visit our young people so as to encourage them to participate in the diversionary and positive activities promoted by the club. Blantyre Soccer Academy is currently seeking to increase their participation numbers to 350+ active young people over the next 12 months.

In March 2017, BSA was nominated for the Best Youth Organisation in Blantyre at the annual Blantyre Oscars event.

Club Achievements: SFA LEGACY CLUB, SFA DISABILITY INCLUSIVE CLUB, SFA FULL DISABILITY CLUB, SOUTH LANARKSHIRE CLUB SL GOLD AWARD, SFA & SUNDAY MAIL COMMUNITY CLUB OF THE YEAR (2013), SOUTH LANARKSHIRE DISABILTY CLUB OF THE YEAR 2013

Board of Trustees: 5 Members: S. Hawthorne (MD ECG) S. McKeown (MD TMS) D. Anderson (Accountant), K. O’Neil (20 Years in Football) J.J. Whelan (Construction Director)

Committee Steering Group: Joe Maguire: Honorary President 35 years’ experience in Football and Business Management, Jimmy Whelan: Chairman Construction Director 15 years, Dougie Borland: Vice Chairman 10 years Director Own Business, Kevin O’Neil: Academy Head 10 years Professional Football, Linda Riddoch: Secretary 20 years in Business Management, Dermot Anderson: Accountant 18 years a Senior Accountant.