Football fever hits Dumbarton on 21st August as local youngsters and their families head to the McDonald’s Football Open Day – one of many free, family, community football days taking place around the country this summer. Organised by McDonald’s franchisee, Steve Tomlin, local clubs Argyle Athletic & Dumbarton Utd AFC and Renton Craigandro FC and West Dumbartonshire Council, the Open Day offers families throughout Dumbarton the chance to meet Kenny Dalglish, McDonald’s Head of Football.
The event, which is free of charge for all, forms part of McDonald’s Community partnership with The Scottish FA and aims to inspire youngsters to give the game a go and sharpen their skills through a series of interactive coaching sessions, mini-tournaments and skills inflatables, designed to help develop dribbling, passing and shooting accuracy. Families and friends will also be encouraged to join in the fun by being invited to try their hand at coaching or even sign up as a club volunteer.
The McDonald’s Football Open Day will be kicking off at 10am at the Meadow Leisure Centre in Dumbarton. And to make the day even more memorable, the Open Day will be attended by McDonald’s Head of Football and one of Scotland’s greatest ever players, Kenny Dalglish.
McDonald’s Franchisee, Steve Tomlin, comments:
"I’ve supported local clubs like Argyle Athletic & Dumbarton Utd AFC and Renton Craigandro FC for many years now with the aim of improving the standards of grassroots football in my community. With the Open Day, we’re encouraging the wider Dumbarton community to get involved and give our youngsters access to the very best in football training and coaching.”
Kevin McIntyre from Renton Craigandro FC, says: “This is the first year that we’ve hosted a McDonalds Football Open Day and we know it’ll be a great way for our community to celebrate and share its passion for football.”
West Dunbartonshire Council’s Convenor of Education, Cllr Jonathan McColl said: “We are thrilled to welcome Kenny Dalglish to West Dunbartonshire and are pleased to host this event. The Council is looking forward to welcoming as many people as possible, whether their passion is as a young player, coach or volunteer.”
Kenny Dalglish, adds: “We want to provide the community with a football-focused fun day out for all. Football is part of the fabric of our society, and no more so than at the start of what I’m sure will be a great league season.
“It’s a great testament to McDonald’s franchisees that they’re committed to making football accessible to whole communities, helping to raise the standards of grassroots football up and down the country, week in, week out and I’m looking forward to seeing some great grassroots football across the country.”
Location:
The Meadow Leisure Centre,
Meadow Road,
Dumbarton,
G82 2AA
Time: 10.00 – 16.00 (Kenny Dalglish will be there from 11 – 13.00)
For further details and to arrange interviews, please contact:
John Megaughin 07740 361 581 john.megaughin@redconsultancy.com
McDonald’s and Community Football
McDonald’s proudly supports football in Britain’s communities. We’re providing more opportunities for anyone to volunteer and qualify as community coaches plus increasing access to free qualified coaching for youngsters everywhere.
In partnership with The FA, The Scottish FA, The Irish FA and The Welsh Football Trust, we are looking to train 20,000 coaches by 2010 to leave a legacy in communities that will last for years to come. This year has also seen McDonald’s sponsor 4,500 local football clubs and we’re on our way to coaching over 1 million children.
Our coaching programme is led by:
Sir Geoff Hurst (McDonald’s Director of Football)
Kenny Dalglish (McDonald’s Head of Scottish Football)
Ian Rush (McDonald’s Head of Welsh Football)
Pat Jennings (McDonalds Head of Football in Northern Ireland)
Eric Harrison (McDonald’s Head Coach and the former Manchester United Youth Coach who helped to influence the careers of David Beckham, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes)
