Musselburgh Windsor hoping for a 'new era of engagement' with council

The football club, which celebrated its 60th anniversary last year, was invited to give a presentation to the Hollies Day Centre, where club president Mr Robertson took the opportunity to highlight current challenges.

After Lawrence Brown, the son of club founder Joe Brown, reminisced with tales of growing up in Windsor Park, Mr Robertson brought the audience up to date with a slideshow of images displaying the current conditions of the home playing fields.

Closing the presentation, he showed them images of the damage caused to their playing fields at Pinkie St Peters by the installation of drainpipes, connected to a nearby housing estate.

And he highlighted what they felt was a lack of support from East Lothian Council, saying a number of other clubs across the county had benefited from the installation of clubrooms and funding from the local authority.

He said the club hoped that, following discussions with Councillor Willie Innes, council leader, and Councillor Tim Day, cabinet member for community wellbeing, the club would enter a new era of engagement.

However, the council said it was disappointed to hear criticism coming from the club.

A spokeswoman said: “It was rather disappointing to hear Musselburgh Windsor’s comments about apparent lack of support from East Lothian Council, as the club has benefitted from considerable investment in sport over the past 10 years.” Earlier, Lawrence Brown told how his family rallied round to wash football strips on the washing board, put them through the mangle and lay them out to dry on every seat in the house during bad weather, in the early days of the club.

And he revealed when a telephone box appeared in Windsor Park, his father was of the firm belief it was there solely for organising club activities and became upset if the public used it!

He paid tribute to the current volunteers and added that his father would be astounded at the size and success of the club.