Cumbernauld schoolboy suspended after football incident

A Cumbernauld secondary has defended its decision to suspend a 13-year-old boy after a 'horror tackle' during a football match at PE.

The incident involves Greenfaulds High School S2 pupil Argyle Barclay who has been accused of leaving a fellow pupil with serious ligament damage to his ankle.

The teacher taking the class ex professional footballer and UEFA coach Kevin McBride called the tackle “one of the worst challenges I have ever seen.”

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It is alleged that it was deliberately mounted at a late stage, causing greater injury.

Mr McBride who was once a assistant manager of Kilsyth Rangers reported the child to head teacher Linda Park who has suspended the pupil. His future will be discussed at the school at a meeting on Tuesday.

Meanwhile the story is now hitting the headlines after Argyle’s mother Elaine appeared in a national newspaper, accusing the school of over-reacting.

She has also stated that she believes the incident was an accident.

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Cumbernauld Police confirmed that they are not involved in the issue - despite a suggestion in the press that the school was prepared to involve them.

However Mrs Park said: “The teacher who took the class was a professional footballer and is now a UEFA B licensed coach, with 11 years’ coaching experience.

“He said the tackle, which the entire class witnessed and and was deliberately intended to hurt the other The other pupil was taken to hospital and won’t be able to return to school for four days or take part in sport for a further eight weeks.

“We have a duty of care to all our pupils and this behaviour has no place on the football pitch or in the school.”

A meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday to determine whether the pupil will be able to return to school.

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