A FOOTBALL veteran has cried foul over a new £1.5 million Greenock complex — and branded it a ‘shambles’.

The long-serving secretary of local amateur side Belleaire, William McPherson, has waded into the row over Rankin Park, raising fresh concerns about the condition of its grass pitch and surrounding areas.

Inverclyde Council officials, who have been overseeing the development, maintain that the facility will be ready in time for the new season in the summer.

But Mr McPherson, who has been involved with Belleaire for over 50 years, has been keeping a close eye on it and says he has reservations.

He visited the site recently to inspect it along with ward councillor Keith Brooks and SNP council group leader Chris McEleny, who went public recently with his own concerns about the park’s condition.

Mr McPherson said: “I watched them laying the turf and until recently it looked good all over but it seems to have lost its colour in parts.

“There’s a lot of shades in the grass areas that aren’t green — yellows and browns.

“Three months ago it was pure green. They’ve laid a turf area but all the sides around about need to be levelled and landscaped. For a firm that had been off the job since last March and the state of the general site — it’s a disgrace.” Cllr McEleny — who is a former Port Glasgow Juniors footballer — had voiced concerns about the Rankin after being contacted by people claiming the pitch was ‘flooded and diseased’.

Those allegations have been strenuously denied by local authority chiefs who say extra drainage is being installed and landscaping will be carried out shortly to complete the facility.

But Cllr McEleny said: “It is a shambles.

“To me it looks like if it rains before a game it will be called off.

“A grass pitch in Greenock that won’t be available when it rains is as good as a chocolate teapot.

“There’s better grass pitches elsewhere in the area that haven’t cost £1.5m.

“But I would add that I’m glad from what I’m hearing from council officials they are going to put additional drainage in to help affected areas I’ve raised concerns about.” Belleaire play their home matches at Rankin Park and players and officials expected to return there last year.

Mr McPherson said: “I meet quite a lot of folk over at our own clubhouse and they are asking when it’s going to be finished. I was told it would be an eight month job in March 2013 — this is now 2015.” But Municipal Buildings bosses today reiterated their stance that the site is ‘back on track’ after initial delays.

A spokesman said: “Aside from a very small area of ground which has been compacted during the construction phase, the drainage is working well.

“The new pitch will be ready for the new football season.”