A large focus of the SFA and SportCentral is club development.  Local clubs and schools are now receiving the SFA Quality Mark.

QUALITY MARK is a Scottish FA Youth Action Plan initiative, which helps to support and sustain grass roots football. Via Quality Mark, the Scottish FA and partners will promote the role of clubs and schools to broaden community participation and to enhance player, coach and volunteer development and best practice.

Standard Club Award

The focus at this level is getting the basics of organising and running a Club right. These Clubs may consist of one or more teams.

By establishing the basics, the Club will be in a position to grow to Development Club status. This accreditation is also aimed at those Clubs who cannot grow their Club due to geography or demographics but where quality is clearly demonstrable. An example of this being Clubs in the more remote areas of Scotland.

Development Club Award

Development Clubs have demonstrated a commitment to the player pathway and to the development of players through a number of age groups including girls� football. These Clubs will have a minimum of four teams at four different age groups.

The Development Club should also demonstrate a link to local Primary and Secondary Schools, providing School pupils an opportunity to train or play where a School team does not exist. The Development Club should also provide local School Volunteers with support in terms of training, mentoring and guidance.

Community Club Award

The key objective of the Community Club or School is to ensure that members are encouraged to stay with the Club and continue to play, train and compete at their chosen level whilst developing a sense of Community belonging. These Clubs will have a minimum of eight teams representing children, youths, adults and girls/women.

The Club should also seek to identify talent, develop it, and produce young players capable of performing at their maximum level.

Clubs in the Forth Valley Area to have achieved the SFA Quality Mark are as follows:

4,500 spectators at the SPL clash between Falkirk and Motherwell see the 4 clubs gaining Qualtiy Mark in February 2007 presented with their award. (photo (c) Angus G Johnson).

Milton are presented their award by Michel Platini.

Stirling City awarded their Quality Mark by Kevin Keegan.

Gordon McAuley from Bannockburn Amateurs receives the award from the First Minister Alex Salmond.

Kenny Dalglish presents Falkirk In The Community Falkirk Academy Girls with their awards.

For further information on the SFA Quality Mark in the Forth Valley area contact Alan Morgan, SportCentral Youth Football Manager, 3rd Floor, Wolfcraig, 1 Dumbarton Road, Stirling, FK8 2LQ. Telephone number: 01786 432323.

Alternatively complete the SFA Quality Mark Club Registration Form.