Young players banned from playing football matches on their home pitch have joined the fight to save it.
Different age groups at Erskine YFC made their protest this week during training on the condemned 3G pitch.
And the message was clear to those in authority: “Open the purse-strings and fix the problem.”
The £400,000 pitch at Park Mains High has been hit by underground movement which has caused the surface to tear.
A petition launched by Erskine YFC hit 750 names yesterday, and backer Johanna Farren summed it up, saying: “Facilities like this are very important for the health and well-being of our young people.
“It’s a disgrace for a space like this to be left in disrepair and, therefore, unusable.”
We revealed on Monday that the pitch - only around five years old - is unable to host league games.
The surface has been regularly repaired by operators Renfrewshire Leisure.
But club officials say the patches quickly fail.
Erskine YFC vice chairman Mark Harrison said: “We need a proper commitment.
“Playing our home games in Glasgow and Clydebank is ridiculous and unsettling for everyone.”
The club pays up to £25,000 a year in fees for lets and continues training on the pitch.
Other clubs, such as Parkmoor FC, also train there and pay cash.
Iain Nicolson, Renfrewshire Council leader and an Erskine councillor, has been in contact with Erskine YFC.
He said: “We have already arranged to meet up with Mr Harrison and we have responded to him in previous correspondence on the issue.
“The pitch has been repaired this week and is playable, but not for full sized games.
“The issue lies with underground movement which will require extensive investigation to identify and remediate.
“Updates are provided to the users as and when we have them from Renfrewshire Leisure. ”
It is estimated more than 300 local children have been impacted by the pitch problem.
Renfrewshire Leisure boss Mark Tokely has admitted there is “significant ground movement” under the pitch.
They have pledged to carry out further investigation work to “scope a long-term, permanent solution”.
Sign the petition via the change.org website under Fix Park Mains HS 3G.
