Fans descend on West Fife to cheer Scotland to Euros
Ross Hart REPORTER
MORE than 400 supporters descended on Dalgety Bay at the weekend and cheered the Scotland national amputee football squad to the Euros.
The European Amputee Football Federation (EAFF) Nations League was held in West Fife on Saturday and Sunday, and fans turned out in force to watch the hosts qualify for next year’s Amputee Football European Championships.
The biggest international para-football tournament of its kind to take place in Scotland took place at Dalgety
Bay Sports and Leisure Centre, with the Scots facing the Netherlands, Albania, Azerbaijan and Kosovo in Group D of the Nations League.
A total of 18 teams have played in the tournament over the last two months, split into four divisions - A, B, C and D - with the former three being hosted by Poland, France and Belgium respectively.
Promotion and relegation between the divisions was also at play as Scotland sought to secure a top three finish in their group which would guarantee them a place at next year’s Euros.
After opening the weekend’s fixtures with a grip“They’re 2-0 win over Kosovo on Saturday, the team, which is made up of upper and lower limb amputees, then enjoyed a comfortable 4-1 success over Albania.
On Sunday the Scots, whose team included Paralympian Iain Matthew, director of Amputee Football Association Scotland, from Glenrothes, faced formidable opponents in the Netherlands and Azerbaijan.
Although they didn’t triumph in those matches, the six points gained in their previous two fixtures was enough for Scotland to be one of 16 teams that will compete at the European Championships - which will be just the
major tournament that the national side have qualified for.
Ashley Reid, who founded Amputee Football Association Scotland in 2017, and is its CEO, said: “The tournament has been an incredible success - both for the Scotland team and for Scottish football. To have teams from four nations coming to Scotland for an event of this magnitude is testament to the growth of amputee football across Europe.
“We are extremely grateful to Fife Council and Fife Leisure Trust for their support in hosting the Nations League but equally to all the spectators and volunteers who braved the weather to support the teams. The atmosphere was electric and I’m incredibly proud of the team and their achievements.
“Now, as we prepare for France, our focus will be on both fitness and funding to get the team there.”
A mum of two, Ashley, 42, set up the organisation to create opportunities for those with a limb loss to participate in football, and it is now a game leader of Scottish ParaFootball, the Scottish Football Association’s governing body for all forms of para-football in Scotland.
The European Amputee Football Federation, of which Amputee Football Associasecond tion Scotland is a member, are organisers of the Nations League, in which Group D winners the Netherlands will move up to Group C, also qualifying for the Euros with Scotland and Azerbaijan.
Amputee Football Association Scotland was set up in 2017 by mum of two, Ashley Reid (42) to create opportunities for those with limb loss to participate in the beautiful game. The organisation is now a Game Leader of Scottish Para-Football, the Scottish FA’s governing body for all forms of para-football in Scotland. The Nations League is organised by the European Amputee Football Federation of which AFAS is a member.