McDonald’s / Sunday Mail Grassroots Awards 2008

The tiny Fife hamlet of Star is barely a dot on the map - but it's host to one of THE success stories of community football in Scotland. They're called Star Hearts - and at their heart is one man. Davie Leitch started the club in 1962 and even now, 46 years on and aged 71, you'll still see him out ther after training at 10 o clock at night rolling the pitch in case the rain comes in the morning. As their manager he won 45 trophies in 20 years including becoming the first Fife team to lift the prestigious Scottish Amateur Cup.

Volunteer In Childrens Football
Jack Brown ( West Lothian)

Jack is the man wiping away football's winter blues - by bringing a summer revolution to West Lothian's kids. The full-time engineer and father of two dedicates untold hours to his passion for the game, as president of the West Lothian Soccer Development Association, chairman of the area's football forum, the man who runs a thriving website - and he even finds time to referee!

Volunteer In Youth Football
Scott Forrest (Rosuth Recreation)

Scott has devoted 20 years of his life as a volunteer in Fife's burgeoning youth football scene - and he's still only 35! Starting with Rosyth Recreation at just 15, he has now spread his wings
aross the whole region.And now as chairman of the Fife Football Partnership, he's brought all
four of the area's youth bodies together with the local council and the SFA to provide the perfect football platform.

Volunteer In Womens Football
Angela Hendry (East Kilbride)

Angela wasn't just nominated for her abilities as a coach - her players see her as a mentor as well. And sometimes in this game, the life skills you can pass on are more important than just ball skills.A lot of the girls there feel like if they didn't have her putting football on a plate for them, they'd have nothing.

The whole point of the Grassroots Awards is to recognise the people in the game who give up their time for the fulfilment of others. She has dedicated 15 years of her life to the disabled game. She's now Scottish Disability Sport's football co-ordinator, the chair of Special Olympics Scotland West, she coordinates a national five a side league for 44 disabled teams and STILL finds time to coach at Firhill on a weekly basis.

The man they call 'Mel' has been involved with his club so long they used to struggle to raise a team because of National Service.But his dedication to Rothesay Brandane stretches back 53 unbroken years and shows no signs of slowing down now.

Best teacher
Claire Noble and Gillian Sim (Hillhead PS);

A gap was needing filled to support the Hillhead Schools football team and Teachers Claire and Gillian were happy to take on the support role for the football team to continue. With their hard work and support from the SFA the teachers have fully enjoy the challenging new roll that running a football team brings. They have the makings of a future star Manager and Coach

Most Supportive Professional Player
Craig O'Reilly (East Fife)

Craig O'Reilly is part time player with East fife. But it does not stop there he is a keen coach. "What better way to spend my time when not playing football to get involved with coaching which is what I love." I have enjoyed all the coaching courses ive been involved with.

Lee Carol is a young up and coming coach from Dundee the future of the game is in the hands of the committed next generation of Scottish football coaching staff, and Lee Carol is a great example of a fantastic volunteer.

Best Supporting McDonald's Restaurant - Falkirk; Community Club Award - Breadalbane.

McDONALD'S million-pound deal with the SFA has reaped astonishing rewards in their five year partnership. In the past year alone, they've created an incredible 600 new teams in primary schools up and down the country. And with a huge backing from their restaurants, the scheme looks set to
keep growing.

The SFA's Head of Football Development, Jim Fleeting said: "I've got two grandsons and I have a dream for them, the same as every other kid in Scotland, that they grow up taking part in sport on perfect pitches and loving every minute of it. That's what partnerships like this can help provide."