A GROWING football club has secured a top award.

Haddington Athletic Football Club, which has players from early primary school age to East of Scotland Football League first team level, was awarded a platinum accreditation by the Scottish Football Association (SFA).

The club, which has boys’ and girls’ teams, as well as a walking football team and an autism and neurodiverse team, received the accolade last month.

Colin Bowsher, chairman of the club’s youth section, was delighted with the recognition.

He said: “One of the main things that impressed the SFA was the girls’ section and how it has grown from 30-40 girls to now 100.

“We have got under-eights through to under-16s.

“Another initiative we have on the go is free football to girls from ages five to 12 who have not tried football.

“We encourage them to go along.

“It is a mix of everything going on at the club.

“That is why we have been accredited the platinum quality mark. You need to be hitting all the right points.”

The accolade was also recognised at a meeting of Haddington and District Community Council last month.

Councillor George McGuire, leader of the Conservative Group on East Lothian Council and a Haddington and Lammermuir ward member, offered his congratulations.

Speaking after the meeting, he said: “It is the pinnacle.

“It is the top accolade they can get and it is a credit to the work everybody does down there – not just for the youngsters but the seniors and giving youngsters a great start in life.”