At just 17 years old, Archie Anderson has already dedicated more than 500 hours to volunteering in football.
But numbers alone don’t tell Archie’s story.
His is a journey that began as a three-year-old taking his first steps into football with Montrose Community Trust and has seen him progress from participant to volunteer, employee and, today, Lead Community Coach – helping provide opportunities for the next generation of young people in Montrose.
Now, that remarkable journey has received national recognition, with Archie named the Scottish FA McDonald’s Best Young Volunteer Award winner for 2026 at the Regional Grassroots Awards.
For everyone at Montrose Community Trust, it is recognition of a young person who has given an extraordinary amount to his club and community – and a wonderful example of just how powerful community football can be.
Where it all began
Archie’s journey with MCT started 14 years ago when, aged just three, he joined our Little Dribblers programme.
As he grew up, so did his involvement with the Trust.
He progressed through our after-school clubs and Soccer Saturday sessions before becoming involved in our School of Football, an alternative curriculum programme designed to engage young people through their passion for football.
Like many young people, Archie didn’t always find that a traditional classroom environment allowed him to thrive. Living with ADHD presented additional challenges, but through football he found an environment where his energy, passion and personality could flourish.
The School of Football gave Archie an opportunity to develop in a different setting and it was during this period that his natural ability to encourage others – and his ambition to become a football coach – really began to emerge.
Before long, Archie wasn’t just participating in football. He was helping others enjoy it too.
Participant becomes volunteer
Archie began volunteering alongside MCT coaches at community football sessions, helping create positive experiences for younger participants taking their own first steps into the game.
For the Trust, it represented a special full-circle moment.
The young boy who had once arrived at Little Dribblers to begin his own football journey was now helping children at the very beginning of theirs.
And Archie’s volunteering didn’t stop there.
By the age of just 15, he was already becoming a familiar face throughout the wider Montrose football family, volunteering with Montrose FC and Montrose FC Women and taking on responsibilities ranging from media and matchday content to stadium announcing.
Whatever needed done, Archie was rarely far away.
From volunteer to Lead Community Coach
After turning 16, Archie officially joined the Montrose Community Trust staff team as an Assistant Community Coach.
His progression since then has been remarkable.
Through his commitment, professionalism and willingness to learn, Archie has already progressed to become a Lead Community Coach – while still only 17 years old.
Today, he plans and delivers football sessions for children and young people of different ages, taking on significant responsibility within the MCT coaching team.
But perhaps one of Archie’s greatest strengths is his ability to understand the young people standing in front of him.
His own experiences have helped shape the coach he has become. Archie understands that not every child learns, communicates or participates in the same way, and he uses that understanding to help create an environment where young people feel welcomed, supported and valued.
That has also led Archie to become involved in the planning and delivery of MCT’s Additional Support Needs (ASN) football provision, helping create opportunities for children with additional support needs to enjoy football in a safe, supportive and understanding environment.
At just 17, his empathy, patience and desire to make football accessible to others have already become defining qualities of his coaching.
More than 500 hours – and counting
Remarkably, becoming a full-time Community Coach hasn’t stopped Archie from volunteering.
Far from it.
Over the past four years, he has accumulated more than 500 hours of volunteering and continues to dedicate around eight hours of his own time every week across Montrose FC and Montrose FC Women.
Behind the scenes, Archie has become an important part of the club’s media operation, supporting social media content, matchday coverage, player signing announcements and digital engagement.
And on a matchday?
You could find him just about anywhere.
He might be welcoming supporters through the turnstiles, delivering stadium announcements, supporting the media operation or helping things run smoothly behind the scenes.
You may even find him entertaining some of our youngest supporters as Monty Mole!
No matter the task, Archie’s approach remains the same: find out where he can help and get involved.
More than an award
More than 500 volunteering hours is an incredible achievement for any young person – never mind someone who is still only 17.
But Archie’s contribution cannot simply be measured by a number.
It can be seen in the children he encourages, the sessions he delivers, the supporters he engages with, the experiences he helps create and the example he sets for other young people.
Perhaps most importantly, it can be seen in his own journey.
Football has provided Archie with opportunities to develop his confidence, discover his strengths and turn something he loves into a career. In return, he is now dedicating his time to ensuring other young people are given opportunities to find their own pathway.
In community football, we often talk about creating opportunities and pathways for young people.
Archie is an example of what those pathways can achieve.
Fourteen years ago, we welcomed a three-year-old Archie Anderson to Little Dribblers.
Today, he is a Lead Community Coach, an advocate for inclusive football, a trusted volunteer across the Montrose football family and now a Scottish FA Grassroots Award winner.
There are few better examples of the lasting impact of community football than seeing someone who once participated in your programmes return years later to inspire the next generation.
Everyone at Montrose Community Trust is incredibly proud of Archie and everything he has achieved.
At only 17, we have a feeling his journey is still just getting started.
Congratulations, Archie – thoroughly deserved.
Logan Cruickshank
Project Manager