ANY Scottish football supporter will tell you that a half-time pie is an essential ingredient of the matchday experience.

But fans attending Dumbarton FC’s home matches have more reason than most to lick their lips on a Saturday afternoon.

The steak and gravy pie served up at the club’s stadium at Castle Rock has picked up a bronze award in the Football Pie category at the World Championship Scotch Pie Awards 2018.

The competition, which has been running for 19 years, aims to highlight the quality products made day in day out by bakers and butchers, and the Sons’ pie competed against a host of other clubs to claim one of the top prizes.

The pie is produced by Pars Foods Ltd, which is based in Glentanar Road, Glasgow, and is lovingly prepared at the stadium on matchdays by the club’s partner company, Sports Catering.

Rosalind Carr of Sports Catering said: “I am delighted that Dumbarton FC has received this recognition for the pie.

“We have been working at Dumbarton FC and supplying this product for 12 or 13 years, so we have been working with the company for a long time. The tender, loving care that goes into preparing the pie and ensuring things like the right temperature, make a difference.

“We care about the product and the fans’ experience. Hopefully the fans enjoy watching the football and enjoy eating the pie.

“The steak and gravy pie has been growing in popularity and lots of grounds have started doing it. It’s different from the mince pie because of the gravy and it’s quite a juicy pie.”

More than 80 butchers and bakers entered over 400 pies, sausage rolls, bridies, savouries and apple pies into the competition, which is run by Scottish Bakers, before the best in the land were announced at a lunch, attended by around 250 hopefuls.

The entries were judged by 50 industry experts and professionals, with winners and runners up selected in 11 categories, which also included macaroni pie and vegetarian savoury.

Brian Sarafilovic, managing director of Pars Food Ltd, also expressed his delight at receiving the award – one of five secured by the company in the ‘Football Pie or Savoury’ category.

He said: “I think approximately 36 football clubs entered, ranging from amateur clubs to Premier League clubs, so we were fortunate to get the bronze. A lot of credit must also go to those who prepare the pie on matchdays.

“We have been making the steak and gravy pie for over 20 years and we have picked up a number of awards for the products that we supply.

“The steak and gravy pie is our fastest growing pie product and it is just catching up on the volume terms with the Scotch pie.

“You get out what you put in and the quality ingredients we use gives us a quality product in the end. We use prime beef and we have our own recipe that we have developed over the years. It is a good warming product, especially in winter, with a rich, warming taste.”

Full list of winners in the ‘Football Pie or Savoury’ category at the 2018 awards: Gold – Browning’s the Bakers, Kilmarnock (Darvel Juniors FC); Nevis Bakery Ltd, Fort William (Fort William FC); Pars Foods Ltd, Glasgow (Hibernian FC).

Silver – Irvine’s Bakery, Beith (Beith Juniors FC); Minick of St Andrews (Kettle FC); Pars Foods Ltd, Glasgow (Heart of Midlothian FC and Clyde FC).

Bronze – Ashers Bakery, Nairn (Nairn County FC); Cafe V8, Inverness (Clachnacuddin FC); Pars Foods Ltd, Glasgow (Falkirk FC and Dumbarton FC).