Futsal in Scotland
Futsal in Scotland has been played in Perth since 1997. in conjunction with the Scottish Football Association (SFA) and Scottish Amateur Football Association (SAFA). Perth is the oldest league in the UK. 2014 Saw a major change within Futsal - Scottish Football Association, Scottish Amateur FA and the Scottish Futsal League set out a program to get more leagues up and running around the country. With great effort from the SFA's regional departments 5 league were created, and around 500 players playing futsal. 2015 seen the first Scottish Futsal League National Championships, teams from the newly created league's in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Stirling along with Perth, descended to Bells Sports Centre, Perth on 9 and 10 May 2015. teams competing were Five Cities FC (Aberdeen), FC Polonia (Dundee), Wattcell Futsal Club (Edinburgh), Stirling University (Stirling) and Fair City Santos (Perth). After 10 games played over the 2 days Fair City Santos won the first National Championship, along with the title Fair City Santos will also compete in the 2015/2016 UEFA Futsal Cup.
Background
In 2005 the Scottish Futsal League joined up with the Futsal Premier League to help promote Futsal across the UK. In 2008 the Scottish Futsal League parted ways with the Futsal Premier League. To date, Fair City Santos are Scotland's most successful team with 8 League titles from 12. Perth Saltires are Scotland's current League Champions (2013/2014). Bell's Sports Centre, Perth, is the home of Futsal in Scotland, with four futsal courts. Futsal, or indoor football, is a growing sport in Scotland.[1][2] The Futsal Premier League (FPL) initiated a regional league in Edinburgh in November 2005. The Scottish National Futsal League, FPL Scotland, followed in 2006.[3] FPL Scotland is sponsored by Tennent's, who have given away over 50,000 futsal balls,[citation needed] and now also sponsor the National Football Team. Additional support came from the Scottish Football Association and kit manufacturer Joma. The FPL Scotland is divided into three Series, A, B and C, as opposed to two in England. Winners of the FPL Scotland Serie A progress to the UEFA Futsal Cup.
In 2006, eight teams played in the first FPL Scotland Serie A:
- Aberdeen Cosmos
- Dundee Dynamos
- Edinburgh United
- Fair City Santos (Perth)
- Glasgow City
- Glasgow Maccabi
- Inverness Wanderers
- Perth North Muirton
2006 league champions, Fair City Santos, Scotland's first UEFA Futsal Entrants played in the first preliminary round of the UEFA Futsal Cup, against Adana from Armenia, Futsal Mad Max from Finland, and Roubaix from France, although they failed to progress to the next stage.[4][5]
Current league
Season 2014/15
Scottish Futsal National Finals
May 2015
Fair City Santos (Perth) FC Polonia (Dundee) Five Cities (Aberdeen) Stirling University (Stirling) Wattcell Futsal Club (Edinburgh)
Aberdeen
Five Cities Lonely Hearts AC Maloon St Machars Select NESCOL
Dundee
Ferry Mechanics FC Polonia Dundee Futsal Club Dundee West FC STARS LTD
Edinburgh
Perth
Fair City Santos Perth Saltires Zenit St. Johnstoun FC Red Star Perth Real Perth Futsal Bridgend PYF Saltires Fair City Pumas International FC Outer Milan Letham Steaua Perth
Stirling
Stirling Uni A Stirling Uni B Gannochy Seagulls Dunblane Star Futsal Select
References
- ^ [1]
- ^ "How futsal can help save Scottish football | Blog | Sport | STV". Sport. 30 November 2011. Archived from the original on 9 December 2011. Retrieved 2012-07-09.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "The SFA and SAFA will partner with the FPL to launch a futsal initiative in Scotland that should really help put futsal back on the map in Scotland". November 2005. Retrieved 9 July 2008.
- ^ "Scotland set for Futsal festival". UEFA. Archived from the original on 8 August 2007. Retrieved 9 July 2008.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "International Futsal Tournaments". Scottish Football Association. Retrieved 9 July 2008.