KEVIN Gallacher knows how much blood, sweat and tears courses through the world of grassroots sport – and now his wife is following the former Blackburn Rovers favourite on the medal trail.

Kevin’s wife Aileen has been short-listed for the Lawn Tennis Association's Volunteer of the year award, in recognition for her work as secretary of Ribchester Lawn Tennis Club.

The winner will be announced at Wimbledon this Friday.

Gallacher, capped 53 times by Scotland, also coaches tennis at the Ribble Valley club, as well as running his own soccer school for boys and girls aged eight to thirteen.

“Aileen does a tremendous amount of work to make sure the club keeps ticking over, so it is really nice for my wife and the club to be recognised in the last three nationally” said Gallacher, who played in the World Cup for his country at France '98.

“There are people like Aileen at every club and involved in all grassroots sports.

“If it wasn’t for them, clubs simply wouldn't exist.

“It is extremely important that we recognise and continue to encourage these unsung heroes of amateur sport.”

Gallacher is a huge supporter of the Lancashire Telegraph Grass Roots Heroes Awards – sponsored by United Utilities and now in their third year.

But he says that the real stars are the ones who receive the prizes – from the Spirit of Sport Award to The People's Choice – for their incredible determination to succeed, sometimes against all the odds. Gallacher has been guest of honour at both of the previous Grassroots Heroes Awards nights.

He said: “The Lancashire Telegraph awards raises awareness about the amount of work connected with clubs, schools and associations actually do and it also gives them some reward for doing so.” Gallacher, who can draw on a wealth of experience in the Premier League and in international football, says his soccer school, G8Soccer School, is an opportunity to put something back into the community.

“I was lucky enough to be involved in professional football at the highest level, and it was a privilege to play for Blackburn and Scotland, but I get a tremendous amount of pleasure from trying to help the next generation come through.

“It is not all about who is the best. There are children of all ages and abilities who come to the soccer school and for many of them it is about the enjoyment of taking part.

“I’ve lived in the area for the past 20 years so this gives me the chance to put something back.”

It is baffling how an ex-professional of Gallacher's vast experience – he holds a UEFA B licence – is constantly overlooked for posts in both junior and senior football.

“It is frustrating and a lot of it is down to politics I think,” added Gallacher. “I coached some of the juniors at Brockhall and I was told that because I worked in the media that they didn’t want me involved at Rovers.

“I didn’t understand that at all.

“I know I can do a great job, and I have the ability and the experience to help others.

“It remains an ambition to coach at senior level and I know I could do that.

“In the meantime, though, I’m dedicating my coaching skills to the soccer school and I'm loving every minute of it.”

Each group at the soccer school will contain no more than 30 youngsters and Gallacher will be assisted by two qualified coaches.

The soccer school is staged behind Salesbury Memorial Hall and for further details or to register a place for the 2014 programme e-mail G8soccer school@hotmail.com