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Inverness community leader criticises artificial football pitch plan

Clach's Grant Street Park, where Ross County midfielder Andrew Macleod will play after agreeing a loan switch to the Highland League club.
Clach's Grant Street Park, where Ross County midfielder Andrew Macleod will play after agreeing a loan switch to the Highland League club.

An Inverness community leader has claimed two well-known city football clubs should not receive any public cash for a new artificial pitch.

Smithton and Culloden Community Council chairman David McGrath criticised the proposal drawn up by Highland League side Clachnacuddin FC, junior team Inverness City FC and the Merkinch community.

Councillors are due to consider a plan to instal a new all-weather pitch at Clach’s Grant Street Park home at a meeting next month, which would also be used by the local community and secure a permanent home for Inverness City.

The clubs say the proposal is in its “early stages” and no funding bids have been made.

But Mr McGrath believes that the local authority should not support the initiative, highlighting anger in east Inverness where local pitches are being removed to make way for a flood alleviation scheme.

“They shouldn’t get one penny of Highland Council money because they’ve already had problems getting the rent paid, let alone maintaining an artificial pitch,” he said of Clach FC.

“We’re not chuffed because the people of Culloden haven’t got a football pitch. All ours are going to be dug up for a flood alleviation scheme.

“All the poor kids of Culloden, Smithton and east Inverness won’t have any pitches, yet they can find money to support a pitch at Clach.”

Local authority officials failed to collect more than two years worth of rent from Clach before they entered administration in 2010.

But chairman Alex Chisholm said last night that the club’s finances were now in a much stronger position.

“I’m disappointed in his comments about rental problems. As a football club we have never deferred any payments when I’ve been at the club, and that’s a number of years.”

Asked about the plans for an artifical pitch, Mr Chisholm said: “It’s early days really. We’ve got a meeting with the Merkinch Partnership and Inverness City. There’s nothing agreed in terms of funding at all.

“We support the idea of an all-weather surface in Inverness whether it’s at Bught Park, Smithton or wherever. I would support that anywhere because it would be good for Inverness.

“I agree with him (Mr McGrath), we should be providing the best facilities for our kids and younger people.”

A Highland Council spokeswoman said: “Officers have met with representatives of Smithton and Culloden Community Council to investigate utilisation of sports pitches at Culloden.

“In addition, officers continue to be supportive of giving advice and where practical, support to community representatives, to progress the development of sports pitches at Culloden.”