Thursday June 11th 2026
Donald Dewar 3G pitch
Written by Glasgow View Reporter, Liam Eunson
A community football club in the heart of Glasgow’s Drumchapel is at the centre of a major transfer deal – just before the World Cup begins.
Drumchapel United Football Club today (11 June) got the green light from Glasgow City Council to take control of council-owned football pitches.
The club has been granted a 25-year lease for the football facilities at Glasgow Club Donald Dewar. The transfer was awarded under the council’s People Make Glasgow Communities (PMGC) programme.
Glasgow City Council took the decision after the successful operation and management of the pitches – one 3G with floodlights, three grass – by Drumchapel United since 2022.
Before the pandemic, Glasgow Club Donald Dewar had been run by Glasgow Life, which continues to run the rest of the facility.
Councillor Ruairi Kelly, Convener for Development and Land Use at Glasgow City Council, said the transfer would allow Drumchapel United to go from strength to strength and continue the positive change taking place in the area.
Drumchapel United Football Club deliver football alongside education and community programmes and has evolved into a sports charity organisation working with local schools, the SFA, Glasgow Life, UEFA, NHS Health Improvement Teams and Sported.
At present, over 40 teams, 700 players and around 100 volunteers use the facility, with Drumchapel United aiming to increase that to 1000 players in the first year following the lease transfer.
As well as allowing the clubs to raise the funds to enhance the facility, it means the pitches can also remain open to the Drumchapel community for longer.
Under the People Make Glasgow Communities programme local people, community groups, third sector and other organisations can have greater involvement in the management of local venues and facilities. The PMGC programme has enjoyed major successes, most recently with Pollok United whose takeover of the Nethercraigs Sports Complex led to it being named Europe’s Best Grassroots Football Club by UEFA.
Other transfers include Castlemilk Community Football Trust at the Barlia Sports Complex, Park Villa Football Development at Glasgow Club Drumoyne and Toryglen Community Youth Project at the Geoff Shaw Community Centre.
As part of its bid, Drumchapel United submitted a business model, community engagement plan and financial projections which were assessed by a panel of City Council and Glasgow Life officers.
Councillor Kelly said: “We’ve seen in other parts of the city how clubs go from strength to strength when they take over the running of the facilities and it’s time Drumchapel had a slice of that action. Drumchapel is a community with a rich footballing pedigree and, who knows, maybe Drumchapel United will turn out some of Scotland’s World Cup stars of the future.
“But this transfer goes beyond the teams on the pitch. It’s a real vote of confidence in the Drumchapel Community, giving it control over a very important local asset and providing an opportunity for more residents to get involved with the programmes Drumchapel United are offering. So well done to all involved and I’ve no doubt this transfer will complement the ongoing transformation of The Drum.”
Scott Bland, Club Secretary and CEO of Drumchapel United Football Club, said: “Today marks a historic day for our club and our community, as we secure a 25-year lease of the Donald Dewar pitches in the heart of Drumchapel on our 25th Anniversary. This achievement represents years of hard work, dedication and belief, and throughout this process we heard from children eager for a place to play, young people looking for opportunities to develop, and adults who wanted better facilities for future generations. This is about more than pitches. It is about investing in people, creating opportunities and building a brighter future for Drumchapel.”
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