Fernhill Soccer School given financial boost just days after Lottery knock-back

Fernhill Soccer School has been given a welcome boost, just days after they were knocked back for lottery funding.

The community group had applied for £9250 from the National Lottery Awards for All Scotland but this was not granted, simply because there weren’t enough funds to cover all who had applied.

Chairman Davy O’Neil told an old friend in businessman Peter Conway, who immediately donated £1000 to the group, which will be used to pay for medals and trophies that are handed out to children every month.

O’Neil said: We didn’t get the big Lottery this year for the Soccer School, which is a big blow.

“I tried for £18,500 and thought I could do that over the two years, but they got back to me and said they could only give funding for a year.

“We cut it down to £9250, and we didn’t get it but we’ll still get by.

“What I do with some of my money is I try and help other clubs, I try to give wee teams footballs, bibs, and we spread it about.

“But I was talking to an old friend in Peter Conway, who is a millionaire now, about something else and I told him we didn’t get funding.

“He said he would sponsor strips, but I told him we’re not a football team, and he asked for my bank details.

“Within five minutes we had £1000, which is unbelievable.

“That will make a huge difference. We give the kids medals each week, and it’s not the best football players. They’ll get a wee medal if they try hard or listen to the coaches, and we give out five medals every week and two trophies every month.

“That £1000 will cover the full year for medals and trophies.”

O’Neil added: “We have some money put by, but I kind of go two years ahead and unfortunately we’re not going to get that.

“I’ll see if there’s anything else I can put in for the