Two Dumbarton grassroots football clubs have joined forces to slam the council over plans to hand the pitch they use over to another team.

Dumbarton United and Dumbarton Riverside have accused West Dunbartonshire Council of hindering the progress of disability, girl’s, and women’s football teams if they go through with agreeing to pass East End Park to St Patrick’s Former Pupils as part of a cost-cutting measure.

The shock revelation that the local authority was planning to agree a 10-year lease with the well-known Saturday afternoon team only came to light when Kenny McInnes from United and Nicky McColl from Riverside heard through word of mouth on Friday.

And the pair hit out at WDC bosses for not consulting them on the future of a football pitch they say they use “95 per cent of the time".

Kenny said: “We’ve no problems at all with St Pat’s FPs, but they cater for those who have always traditionally dominated football - young men.

“Dumbarton United and Dumbarton Riverside are entirely run by volunteers from the local community.

“Between us, we organise twenty-two teams of youngsters, people with disabilities, and our growing number of girls and women’s teams.

“We don’t want the council to take a decision that puts us at a disadvantage.

“We’re not asking for special treatment, just to be treated fairly. It’s not okay for the council to lease the pitch to St Pat’s without engaging with us or Riverside. It’s our pitch too.”

Both clubs admit to feeling “blindsided” by the decision, which will go before members of the council’s Infrastructure Regeneration and Economic Development (IRED) Committee on Wednesday, with the recommendation to approve the lease of the pitch and the pavilion to St Pat's.

The document prepared for councillors states the move will generate a saving of £28,000 per annum in property and running costs as WDC tries desperately to plug an ongoing financial black hole.

But the report also states the new lease structure would “continue to support other local football teams which will allow them access to the facility for training and matches, with no change to their current bookings as users,” a claim Kenny says is “impossible” to adhere to, as St Pats want the pitch on Monday and Wednesday nights as well as from 1pm on a Saturday.

“That’s just not going to happen,” he added.

“We understand the council is under financial duress, but this report is a rushed attempt to lease a key community asset to a club other than the two football clubs that use the East End pitch.”

Riverside’s Nicky added: “Our champions team, which is our disability team that has 30 players, they actually train on a Monday, so that would wipe them out.

“With them having some mental health issues, routine is a massive part for them, a Monday is ideal.

“Donna, who is absolutely brilliant with them, she has got them into this routine, and they absolutely love it.

“There has been absolutely no dialogue with us. It is all a bit of a shock, to be honest.

“The 2015s and the 2008s, they both train on a Wednesday, so this would cause them to not have a place to train either.”

There is also the issue of East End recently being awarded £175,000 in UK government funding drive to get more people active.

Upon the granting of this money, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said: “The programme has a particular focus on increasing participation among underrepresented groups such as women and girls, and those with a disability."

A West Dunbartonshire Council spokesperson said: "This proposal will be considered at a meeting of the Infrastructure, Regeneration and Economic Development committee on Wednesday, February 21, and it will be for members to determine any next steps."