On Tuesday 6th December,  the Inverurie Community Football Partnership (ICFP) were awarded Legacy status at the recent SFA Quality Mark Awards, held at the Double Tree by Hilton hotel. The partnership includes three member clubs from the Inverurie area – Inverurie Loco Works FC, Colony Park Juniors and Colony Park Juveniles/Amateurs.

The award recognises all three clubs commitment to creating a full player pathway in Inverurie from primary school children through to adult football and also the community work taking place in the area involving each club outside 90 minutes on a Saturday. In addition, The ICFP have become only the second SFA Quality Mark – Legacy Award holder in the North Region alongside Westdyke Community Club.

Roger Langtree, Colony Park Juniors representative said: ‘We believe this is the way forward in establishing a ‘Player Pathway’ for footballers from Primary 1 stage through to the adult game. This is exciting times for football in Inverurie and the surrounding area and hopefully, by establishing this partnership, it will allow players to learn their trade from well-trained coaches and in the long term, produce the quality of player who can compete at a higher level’.

The ICFP’s successful application has been supported by AFCCT and SFA throughout the process. The appointment of an AFCCT Community Coach in Inverurie has allowed the ICFP to gain regular on the ground support for the SFA Quality Mark Legacy Award application.

Stephen Boddie, AFCCT Community Coach (Inverurie) said: ‘First of all, I would like to congratulate the Inverurie Community Football Partnership for such a fantastic achievement. Their endeavour to get the application process over the line in such a short time frame and willingness to work together for the future of Inverurie football and the community is tremendous. I am confident, that in gaining this award the player pathway in Inverurie will go from strength to strength and hopefully in the future there will be more than just three clubs involved in the partnership.

The long term aim for the ICFP is to have more amateur clubs from the Inverurie area join the partnership as this is a crucial part in providing a full player pathway in the Inverurie area to ensure every child has the opportunity to move into Adult football once they have finished the grassroots game.

On the same evening, Inverurie Loco Works FC were also awarded with the SFA Quality Mark Standard Award.

Inverurie Loco Works FC Secretary Billy Thomson said: ‘Everyone at Inverurie Loco Works FC is delighted for the newly formed football group to have achieved the Legacy award.  Both the reward, and the process to attain it, have been highly pleasing, as it's shown all the football stakeholders in the Garioch can work shoulder to shoulder. It's all about the player pathway and ensuring every footballer is presented with all the opportunities available to them. At Harlaw Park, our Chairman and Vice-Chairman were fully behind the concept from the beginning.  Stephen Boddie & Mark Slater were excellent at guiding us forward. The hard work begins now’.

To finish off the night, all the SFA Quality Mark Award winners attended the Aberdeen vs Kilmarnock fixture at Pittodrie and a five star performance from the Dons rounded off a perfect evening.