Clubs | Windsor gear up for football festival | |
 Pictured are young Windsor players gearing up for this weekend’s festival with SFA referee Mike Tumilty, Windsor vice-president Dougie Hall and festival sponsor Diane Kelly from Specsavers.Musselburgh Windsor FC is praying for a rare glimpse of summer sunshine and for promises from East Lothian Council to all come at once. The massive youth club are adding the final details to this year’s Kenny Ritchie Festival of Football, named after the long serving Committee member who past away suddenly in July 2010. Musselburgh Windsor will celebrate their diamond jubilee next year and provide organised football for boys and girls from age 6 years up to adults with the formation of the first ever amateur team last season. However, with the recent poor weather and torrential rain, the organisers are hoping that the clouds will break and allow the sun to shine on them. With four different age groups and girls teams all competing it is expected Pinkie Playing Fields will see some 600 young players participate in the festival bringing with them parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts and friends swelling the numbers to well over 1,000. Tournament organisers are very concerned that the recent excavation works which has seen two major pipelines being installed will hamper their plans. Club vice-president Dougie Hall said ‘Diggers have in Pinkie and dug up two major channels to lay pipes for the new housing estate at Pinkie Braes. One of the pipelines has cut across two of the pitches and with the erection of security fencing we cannot access the two 7-a-side pitches in the Ashgrove corner. We were given assurances and promises by the Council and contractor that the turf would have been re-laid over a week ago, but it didn’t happen. If we cannot get to use these pitches on the day, there may well be a riot.’ Last year in hot sunshine the festival attracted large crowds and saw SFA President Campbell Ogilvie present many of the young players with their participation medals. He was later joined by Justice Minister Kenny McAskill and local Councillor John Caldwell. This year the club have arranged for a large army assault inflatable to be on site to provide some fun for youngsters. On a more poignant note, the first order of the day will be at 9.30am when Stuart Ritchie, brother of the late Kenny will unveil a specially commission bench. Windsor’s Scott Robertson explained ‘Kenny was involved in this club for over 30 years; he filled a number of positions and was known for his hard work and liked by everyone. His memory lives on at Musselburgh Windsor and by having this commemorative bench, the first ever in Pinkie, we will ensure his memory will endure’. All matches will kick off at 10am and run through to the late afternoon. It promises to be an exiting and busy day at Pinkie for all who are participating or supporting. Mr. Hall reminded everyone ‘Pinkie and the surrounding area will be busy and we ask all visiting teams and their supporters to think about where they will park their cars. The car park will be closed to provide a level safety for the youngsters so drivers should park in Ashgrove or on the High Street. Please do not park in Pinkie Road or on the grass verges’. Youth Football Scotland and YFS TV look forward to covering the event. |