A LOCAL football club has earned recognition at the Scottish Parliament after giving asylum seekers and other 'New Scots' in Inverclyde the chance to play the beautiful game.
Greenock amateur side Inter Clyde recently welcomed new teammates from across the globe in a bid to break down barriers through football, after inviting members of the 'New Scots' community within the local area to training.
Morton in the Community stepped in to help kit out the new players, some of whom are asylum seekers living in a hotel, in line with their 'Boots and Pieces' programme, which looks to make football affordable for all.
Labour MSP Neil Bibby, who represents the West Scotland region, has now lodged a motion at Holyrood to recognise the efforts of both the Sunday League outfit and Morton in the Community after their act of kindness.
The motion reads: "The Parliament congratulates Interclyde FC, a Sunday league football team from Inverclyde, on its welcoming of local members of the 'New Scots' community into its team; notes that players from the club, which is coached by Brendan McEleny, decided to ask residents of a nearby hotel hosting asylum seekers to play with them after noticing them watching their training sessions; understands that the club then approached Morton in the Community, a charity affiliated with Greenock Morton FC, to ask it to provide football boots for the New Scots through its 'Boots and Pieces' programme, and that the charity did this; and thanks the club, its players and Morton in the Community for, it considers, breaking down social barriers through football."
Team coach Brendan McEleny says that whilst it's great to receive such recognition, his main hope is that the Sunday league side can continue to give players in the area a platform to show their skills.
Having only got involved in the team by chance, he says he couldn't have envisaged his role having such an impact.
"It's an honour to be recognised for the great work we've been doing," he said.
"The fact that the recognition has gone to the Scottish Parliament is incredible.
"When I first started helping out at the club a few years ago, I never thought we'd be doing stuff like this.
"But it really is testament to the players and everyone at the club that they've welcomed the boys not only into the team but also the community with open arms.
"We want to continue to provide players with a chance to play football."
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