Published: Wednesday, 18th November, 2009 4:00pm

You're taking the pitch

by Jamie Borthwick

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PUPILS at one of Clydebank's new multi-million pound superschools have been banned from playing football matches on its only usable pitch.

Council chiefs banned 11-a-side games at St Peter the Apostle High because of fears wayward shots could go over the fence and hit cars on the nearby A82 Boulevard.

The council had refused to consider erecting a higher fence.

The decision means that there are no facilities for school football in the whole area as Clydebank High remains without pitches and the Braidfield campus, which had facilities, has now closed.

The nine 11-a-side teams at St Peter the Apostle High in Drumry are now being forced to travel to Dumbarton and as far away as Paisley and Toryglen in Glasgow in order to play home matches.

The school has one all weather surface with markings for hockey and football, and full-size football goal posts.

Lorraine Cameron, whose son plays for one of the St Peter's teams and whose daughter will play football when she moves up to the school, could not believe her ears when she was told why the teams had to look elsewhere for a pitch.

She is calling on the council to fork out for a higher fence to stop the bizarre ban.

She said: "They are making a big deal about putting hair straighteners in girls changing areas but they can't afford to put a fence up.

"The council does great work promoting new coaches but where are the kids going to play?

"They have a hockey pitch but football is the number one sport in Clydebank - it should take priority."

Lorraine, from Duntocher, is raging that the situation is set to stay the same until a 3G turf football facility is finished at St Peter's in October next year.

A spokeswoman for West Dunbartonshire Council said the pitch was designed for hockey but that it could host football training and PE classes until the 3G pitch was ready.

She said: "Due to the relatively low height of the fence and the issue of balls potentially going on to the A82, the council has decided that full size games and official matches will not be played on it.

"We understand the school's frustrations until the 3G pitch is ready and we are investigating the possibility of extending the fence height around the pitch to accommodate football on the hockey pitch."