SCOTTISH community clubs including Ayr United contribute tens of millions of euros to their local communities, according to the next phase of a pioneering UEFA research study.

Ayr United Football Academy and Spartans Community Football Academy were selected to participate in the UEFA pilot project to determine their tangible value of their participants and programmes to their respective communities.

The study shows that the pair deliver millions of euros of benefit to their local areas, from savings in health care costs to volunteer programmes and investment in infrastructure.

Following the success of the national study in 2018, which revealed that participation in grassroots football delivers more than €1.35billion – around £1.25 billion – of positive value to Scottish society, Scotland was selected as the first nation to benefit from the next phase of the UEFA GROW SROI model, focusing on community benefits.The UEFA GROW SROI model allows for a monetary value to be placed on mass participation in football across a spectrum of economic, health and social outcomes.

This latest phase of the research shows that Spartans contribute more than €6 million euros in value to the local community, including:

€2.5million from investment in infrastructure; €1million in value from volunteering

€1.5million value in subjective wellbeing €170,000 in improved mental health

€100,000 in reducing Type I and Type II diabetes.

Ayr United, meanwhile, contributed almost €10million in value to the surrounding community, including:

€4.8million in subjective wellbeing; more than €500,000 in improved mental health

€275,000 value in tackling dementia;

€250,000 in combatting absences from school; €350,000 in educational attainment.