Commons Sense

House of Commons · Adjournment Debate

Scottish Football Association: 150th Anniversary

11 September 2023 · 1 other contributor

Opened by Douglas Ross Con Moray

Culture, Media & Sport

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Douglas Ross raised concerns about scottish football association: 150th anniversary in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.

Key points

  • The debate celebrated the 150th anniversary of the Scottish Football Association, highlighting achievements and milestones.
  • The Minister acknowledged the historical significance of Scotland's first international football match against England in 1872 and the contributions of Andrew Watson, the first black international footballer.
  • The UK Government committed to funding grassroots football facilities with over 20 million.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Douglas Ross Con Moray

The debate celebrated the 150th anniversary of the Scottish Football Association, highlighting achievements and milestones. The MP emphasised Scotland's current success in football qualifications for Euro 2024 and praised recent performances by both men’s and women’s teams. He discussed historical figures like Craig Brown and Andrew Watson, as well as modern developments such as women’s football, disability football, para-football, Street Soccer Scotland, and the importance of grassroots football infrastructure. The speech also touched upon the role of referees and fans in shaping the sport's culture.

Other contributors (1)
  • Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

    Acknowledged and supported the celebration of Scottish FA’s achievements.

Government Response

John Lamont

The Minister celebrated the historical significance of Scotland's first international football match against England in 1872. He acknowledged the contributions of Queen’s Park FC and Andrew Watson, who was a pioneer as the first black international footballer. The Minister praised recent successes of Scottish teams under Steve Clarke's management and looked forward to future achievements. He highlighted the UK Government's commitment to funding grassroots football facilities with over £20 million from 2021 to 2025 and expressed enthusiasm for Scotland’s bid to host Euro 2028.

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