Famous faces from the world of Scottish football punditry are getting together to raise money for pupils with additional learning needs in the area.

Veteran Bankie and football journalist Hugh Keevins will be joined by current Hearts player turned Clyde 1 pundit Andy Halliday, Off the Ball’s Tam Cowan, The PLZ Football Show’s Peter Martin and ex-Celtic legend Frank McAvennie to raise much-needed funds for the kids at Drummore Primary School at a night named A Pie, A Pint & A Pundit in May.

Drummore provides primary learning to 67 children with autism or further learning needs and are looking to replace a wooden climbing apparatus in the infant playground that had become weather-beaten and rotted.

They have a target for the year of £20,000 to get a new “pirate ship” style structure, specially designed to cater to the pupil’s needs.

And, speaking exclusively to the Post, Mr Keevins, whose grandson is autistic, admitted it was a cause that was close to his heart.

He said: “Lisa (daughter and teacher at the school) devotes her life to these kids, and I mean devotion. For some reason, these schools, they simply just run out of money.”

The event has taken place over the years in different locations, from Clydebank Town Hall to Partick Burgh Hall, and now finds itself at The Albion Social Club in Drumchapel, and the pundits this year will join past panellists such as Neil Lennon, Ally McCoist, Mark Hately and Danny McGrain.

“It’s just a night of very good fun, but the serious aspect is, these schools and these kids need money,” Mr Keevins added.

The night once help fund a school bus for the kids after their previous one had broken down, and Mr Keevins recalled a trip on the bus when the kids began singing The Wheels On The Bus, only to be joined in song by a Scotland legend.

He recalled: “Now, if you don’t have a lump in your throat there’s something wrong with you. And behind me, I can hear someone singing, and I turned round and it was Alan Rough singing along with the kids.

“Everybody gets behind it.”

The event was a mainstay on the school’s annual fundraising calendar for 15 consecutive years before the coronavirus pandemic hit, forcing organisers to cancel the 2020 event just weeks before it was due to go ahead.

Teacher at the school Lisa Monaghan said: “The last one was in 2019 and because we had to cancel the last two years, we didn’t have any funding coming in. So, all the plans for outside (in the playground) had to be put on hold.

The last two years have been admittedly hard for the school with most pupils classed as high risk, meaning they couldn’t come back into the campus even when things began to ease at various times through the last 24 months.

Lisa continued: “Quite a lot of the kids have medical conditions that meant they couldn’t come in or they had parents who were shielding.

“So, they were then having to stay at home because school was obviously a high-risk environment for Covid because of how fast it was spreading.”

The headteacher at Drummore, Fiona McLean outlined important this type of equipment can be to the children’s learning. She said: “Lots of our children have quite complex needs, and they need physical activity as it actually helps them concentrate when they come back into class.

“It needs to be really channelled physical activity, not run about with a ball as that doesn’t interest them.

“It’s that stimulation they get from spinning, swinging, jumping, and obviously we’re looking to add the pirate ship that will give us climbing and the slide.

“It’s not just about physical exercise, it actually stimulates their bodies and allows them to concentrate.”

The night is close to being a sell-out with only a few tickets remaining. For those hoping to grab a ticket, you can contact Lisa via email on lisamonaghan73@gmail.com. If anyone would like to help to staff and kids reach their target, head to the Friends Of Drummore Facebook page.