Scottish footballing legend Kenny Dalglish, accompanied by Councillor Steven Purcell, the Leader of Glasgow City Council, officially opened Scotland's first regional football centre in Toryglen, Glasgow.

The £15.7m facility houses Scotland’s first full-size indoor synthetic grass football pitch, which is built to FIFA 2 Star standards and has seating for 700 spectators.

There are three further outdoor synthetic pitches and one natural grass pitch, together with changing, backroom and entertainment amenities designed to meet the demands of Scotland’s National Squads and top football teams.

Since Toryglen Regional Football Centre's soft launch in April more than 35,000 football players from schools, local youth and adult teams, development squads and professional clubs, have enjoyed the first-class facilities. This figure equates to almost 300 users each day – a figure far in excess of initial expectations.

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Kenny also formally launched Scotland’s biggest International Youth Tournament, the Glasgow City Cup.

Following a tour of the centre Kenny said: "I've really enjoyed today. It has been an honour to officially open the centre, the facilities here at Toryglen are simply first class. I wish I had the opportunity to play in a place like this when I was a boy growing up in the east end of Glasgow."

Councillor Steven Purcell said: "The opening of this centre is a first for Glasgow and indeed Scotland and we should be rightly proud of this outstanding facility. The Council's investment in Toryglen is a clear indicator of our determination to provide world-class sporting venues in the city as we move towards the Commonwealth Games in 2014."

The facility was funded by Glasgow City Council with support from the Scottish Government, sportscotland and Landtrust. Culture and Sport Glasgow will manage the facility on behalf of Glasgow City Council.

(GK/KMcA)