GALA Fairydean's home ground could be dug up and replaced with a new 3G pitch to rival East of Scotland League Premier Division champions Spartans, we can reveal.

Sports clubs and organisations throughout the town have united in a bid to kick-start much-vaunted plans to build a new all-weather pitch at Netherdale - the first using the latest synthetic surface.

They have all pitched in towards the cost of a feasibility study.

And, on Wednesday (October 25), a delegation is due to travel to Spartans home ground at Ainslie Park in Edinburgh to view the state-of-the-art sports complex built through a similar community partnership.

It follows the decision to KO plans to build a new 3G pitch at Tweedbank.

Rick Kenney, Interim Sport & Recreation Manager at Scottish Borders Council, which is co-ordinating the visit, said: "As you are now aware, there is a community based group currently progressing a project which hopes to deliver a 3G artificial pitch at Netherdale. The group is made up of a number of partners, including Scottish Borders Council, Borders College, the Scottish Football Association, Borders Sport and Leisure Trust, and local football and rugby clubs.

"We have arranged a bus so that all partners and other local interested parties can come with us to visit Spartans Football Club, at Ainslie Park in Edinburgh, where a 3G pitch; grass pitch & stand and indoor facilities have been provided through a community partnership, similar to the one involved in the Gala project.

"There will be an opportunity to hear how the club brought this about and the opportunity to ask questions to the project leader."