A PIECE of investment geared to continuing the tradition of the Cowdenbeath-Lochgelly area producing top class football talent, saw the 3G pitch at Beath High School back in action after a refurbishment project has seen a new surface laid.

This area has produced Scotland players of the quality of the late great Jim Baxter, Willie Johnston and Tommy Hutchison over the years, and the investment being put in place by Fife Council will see facilities continue to grow which will encourage children to enjoy the beautiful game.

The new surface at Beath has come about through investment from Cowdenbeath Area Committee which moved the planned refurbishment of the pitch forward one year.

And with the new pitch at Kelty Hearts’ Central Park set to be in action by late September, it means that two top class facilities will be giving boys and girls excellent surfaces to play on and with the new surface at Lumphinnans set to come into action soon the facilities in Cowden-Gelly cannot be bettered.

Head of Community Use, Sarah Roxburgh, is so very pleased that the new surface is back in action at Beath High, “The pitch was showing signs of wear before the end of the school term.

“The traffic on it had taken its toll and quite rightly our user groups were expressing concern about it.

“The Area Committee’s investment in the facility has allowed the new surface to be put down around 12 months early and it now provides an ideal facility to allow footballers of all ages enjoys themselves.” Sarah was keen to point out that while the Beath pitch is used for such things as the SFA Development squads’ training and also the likes of Hill of Beath Hawthorn and Cowdenbeath FC working out on it, the pitch can also be booked by groups of people wanting a casual five-a-side game.

“The SFA Development sessions can have 100 kids a week being coached here two nights a week and while amateur and youth sides also hire the pitch for training the surface is there for casual users also,” added Sarah.

“The beauty of this pitch is that it is used by kids aged from three up to veteran adults so it is something for use by everyone.” The Beath High surface is set to be part of the development of the Midnight League youth diversionary programme which is proving a big success at Beath and Lochgelly High School Community Use facilities.

Added Sarah, “The Friday night Midnight league has been a massive success here at Beath and at Lochgelly and I believe that there are plans to involve some of the other Midnight activities in West Fife with a league structure being introduced to add extra competition. Hopefully our new pitch surface can be an important hub for this for we indeed have all the facilities that can make it work.” The Head of Community Use also made it plain that while football is an important element in the use programme of the 3G surface, it can be used for a lot of other activities.

“Aberdour Shinty Club trains here and their junior team has played matches on the pitch and the local shotokan group also trains on it so the pitch can be used for any sporting activity,” concluded Sarah.

So the budding Jim Baxters will have every opportunity in the weeks and months ahead to use the Beath surface to develop their football skills as every effort is put in place to ensure that top class talent can continue to flow from the area.