A HIKE in Glasgow’s football pitch fees has been defended by the SNP.

Kids teams are being hit the hardest, with seven pitch sizes costing more to hire now than they did before May this year.

Under-18s clubs looking to train and use changing rooms at one of Glasgow Life’s seven-a-side grass parks will have to pay an eyewatering £12.30-per-hour more than last season.

But the council’s SNP deputy leader David McDonald pointed to reductions in five-a-side fees and synthetic 11-a-side pitch hire as proof that the local authority was making football costs fairer.

He said: “It’s simply not the case to say that pitch fees have increased because across the board there has been a host of changes that have taken place. Yes, it has meant that some prices have gone up, but some prices have come down.

“Elected members will be all too aware of how sensitive issues around football pricing in the city is, perhaps so sensitive that we have inherited a very confused and muddled system.

“We are doing all we can to ensure that we increase fairness and access to our football facilities with the ultimate goal of levelling the playing field for clubs across the city.”

The previous cost of an 11-a-side grass pitch for two hours, including changing facilities, for adults, was £62.60 but that has dropped to £60. But for under 18s that has risen from £47.30 to £48 and for concessions that has dropped from £44.10 to £36.

For a two-hour hire of the pitch alone, the cost has risen from £26.30 to £36 for adults, from £20 to £27 for under-18s and from £19 to £21.50 for concessions.

The highest increase in costs has been handed out to adults’ teams who train and use changing facilities at seven-a-side grass pitches. They will now pay £17.10 more for every hour.

But concessions, including pensioners, those in receipt of state benefits, and asylum seekers, will pay less for six pitch types. That includes paying £18.30 less for an 11-a-side indoor pitch.

All age groups will be able to use five-a-side pitches for less, however.

Scotland have not reached a major football tournament in the men’s game since 1998 while the women’s team have never qualified for a World Cup.

A Scottish Football Association said it has more than 300 full-size 3G pitches, with a record 145,000 people having been registered as players last year.

An SFA spokesman added: “The Scottish FA is dedicated to ensuring that the game remains affordable and open to everyone in Scotland.

“While overall responsibility for the pricing of public sector sports facilities rests with local authorities, leisure trusts and the owners and operators of wider facilities, we work closely with these stakeholders to try and ensure that no one is priced out of the game.”

It comes as a petition calling on the council to scrap the increased charges has gathered almost 2000 signatures.

George Innes, the head coach of Clyde School of Football started the online campaign. And he said: “Many clubs are struggling to afford this increase and will see the number of organisations folding this season due to the fact that these prices are unsustainable.”

A spokeswoman for Glasgow Life said: “The new pricing structure will also allow us to protect our network of 32 Glasgow Club facilities across the city and continue to provide world-class facilities with state-of-the-art equipment at a cost which is competitive and attractive and equal to or better than the private sector.”