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MOANING about the rain and mud in Argyll is certainly something one local businessman will not do because Stewart Miller, the creator of Swamp Soccer, has found the ideal venue for this new and exciting sport - Strachur.
The game is contested by teams of six players, and the usual rules of football apply. All played out, as the name suggests, on a pitch composed entirely of mud.
By day, a mild-mannered businessman who runs his own successful marketing consultancy, Stewart’s alter ego sees him take on the mantle of ‘Heid Bummer’ of Swamp Soccer UK. Its championships in June are expected to be a huge tourism boost for Argyll, with visitor expenditure at Strachur predicted to top half a million pounds.
But there is a bigger picture beyond this immediate cash boost, says Stewart.
‘It’s not only the direct spend at the championships that is crucial, but the associated benefits that go hand in hand with it. Like most events, the tournament also has a knock-on effect for the area. The event generates a lot of publicity – around £15 million worth last year alone – and the positive exposure this brings has an effect on the local economy far beyond the short-term.’
The Swamp Soccer New World Championship will take place on June 20-22 at the Swamp Soccer Arena in Strachur, a new venue which has been established to cope with the increasing demands of registering teams.
The venue provides a choice of accommodation from tents to self-catering chalets with excellent facilities available on site including food and refreshments, television screens to watch the European Football Championships and free daily entertainment in the form of live music and in the evening, traditional Scottish Ceilidhs.
