28 Jun 2026 18:19:09
Looking for everyone's thoughts on how we as a nation can improve grassroots football. Took the kids today to kick the ball about, the Council astroturf pitches were closed and padlocked shut. The local grass pitch was covered in dog mess and a mess.
We complain kids don't want to play football when in fact they don't have the places to play. I'm just thinking with the under 16 social media ban coming in we have an opportunity to get kids involved again but I don't have any faith that anything will happen.
28 Jun 2026 19:31:13
Stop ignoring technically gifted players for majority of taller/athletic boys in youth development. Encourage proper football again, rather than Guardiola's passing game. It's boring the full of football.
28 Jun 2026 19:31:27
Walk out your house and kick a baw about. That's what we done as kids 25-30 years ago. Didn't have the luxury of Astro turf cages. The reality is, the problems with most kids these days is their heads are glued to phone screens.
28 Jun 2026 19:44:55
Mols, correct; I used to get home from school and pick up a ball and meet almost every other kid in the street at the nearest patch of grass for a game, until it was time for bed. I have never seen that happen near me for a long time. Unless it is organised games, kids don't play in the street like we did.
28 Jun 2026 19:46:30
Mols, exactly this. England, they too have kids with that mentality but get away with it for 2 reasons, they've the numbers and more resources.
Head to Scandinavia, the difference there is, doesn't matter what sport the country has set up sports to be all year round. You wouldn't believe some of the schools in villages with all weathet pitches, running tracks, stands,
swimming pools all on school grounds.
We don't have this because we don't have enough investment and kids should be out kicking a ball about.
But what do our local councils put up.
Signs saying No ball games!
We need change in youth level and Rangers were one of the clubs that's been at the powers to be for years but ain't listening!
Now it's time for fans of all clubs to put colours away and force the changes required!
We tried the youth at lower leagues and that was knocked back.
The hierarchy need to go, the gravy train wages and pensions need to stop!
Only then will change happen!
28 Jun 2026 19:51:51
I was the same but it was 50 years ago, jumpers for goalposts.
28 Jun 2026 20:00:51
We've moved on with the times and like the poster above said it's all No ball games plastered everywhere.
So, instead of saying "just go into the street", kicking the ball in the street is no longer allowed in most places without having the police called on you.
Also, with the upcoming social media ban, the kids' heads should be out the phones.
If they're constantly on their phones, that's more of a parents' problem than the child's.
Looking at places like Norway, they have over 1500 all weather pitches for their youth players whereas we have just over 300.
28 Jun 2026 20:10:28
Good post, Angus, totally agree. Done the same up my way, was saying to my missus the other day that I've not seen that for a long time. That's twice I've agreed with you today. Am on dangerous grounds here. ?
28 Jun 2026 20:18:36
Absolutely spot on, Mols. ? I was another, with the full street of pals out playing football in the streets and the public park. ? Many a telling off we got from certain neighbours in the street for hitting the ball off the fences. ? We were out down the park playing football non-stop until it was dark in the summer nights, and occasionally our dads would come down looking for us. ? Gone are the days, and far too much technology, and kids wanting to stay in the house on social media with their tablets and phones.
? When I was young, I was hardly ever in the house, especially spring time and summertime, and was always out playing all sports, but especially football. ? We were all absolutely fit as fiddles in our young days, and far fitter than the youth of today. ? Technology can have its pros, but definitely regarding being fit and sporty regarding the youth of today, it definitely has its cons. ?
28 Jun 2026 20:28:53
Same here, Angus, ma maw couldnae get me in the hoose for playing fitbaw.
28 Jun 2026 20:29:57
Kids now do have a lot more options of things to keep them entertained, so kicking a ball about is less appealing. I was a kid in the 90s, and we found the no ball games signs were handy to make goal posts from! Me and my pals went around adding washing poles 10ft from the signs and removing the sign part to make a good set of posts.
More organised sports for kids is the route we should be going down to keep them engaged. I've been living in Germany, and my experience is the facilities and organisation around all sports for kids is streets ahead, with lots of great facilities run by skilled people for all levels, even through the small villages.
28 Jun 2026 21:12:44
I'm sure you did, guys, because we did this ie. building goals and using wire netting for nets. ? You absolutely loved that feeling of hitting the wire netting, notching a goal. It just seemed to have a great feel to it. ?
28 Jun 2026 22:20:56
Yep, jumpers for goals, 15 half time and 30 the winner. Played all day until it got dark. Boundless energy. Great times with great pals!
29 Jun 2026 00:24:47
I remember watching a vid on Bill Shankly and it highlighted how many players came from the same mining community that went on to have successful careers at the top of the sport. They did not have the coaching or facilities back then, but the output of players that came out of those communities and hard times was far greater than it is now.
The same can be said for the shipbuilding era on the Clyde. Something was lost that has never been replicated when the heavy industries locked their gates, sadly, and I don't know how we ever get that back.