Tuesday 30 March 2004

And the spending goes on...

This time it's for youth football:
Scottish youth football is to receive a £30m investment in an attempt to turn around the game's fortune and produce future star players.

Organisers of the 10-year plan hope to change the way the youth game is financed and organised.

Sports Minister Frank McAveety will launch the scheme on Tuesday at Hampden Park.

There's no explanation in this BBC report of who exactly is going to cough up for this "investment", only who's going to run it. Note however the presence of the Sports Minister.

If we go over to the website of the Scottish Football Association all becomes clear:

Significantly, the plan now has a long-term funding strategy in place. The SFA will contribute £10m towards its implementation over 10 years, supported by Government funding of £12.2m administered by sportscotland. A further £8.9m, currently being jointly invested in community programmes by the SFA and local authorities, will be redirected to support the Action Plan, working in conjunction with the local authorities.
Why should the taxpayer be funding football? I'd like Frank McAveety to buy me a new digital camera. Perhaps even a new car. I don't suppose he's even going to buy me a pint.