FOOTBALL legend Kenny Dalglish believes the Commonwealth Games can make his East End birthplace great again.
The Scotland and Celtic hero spoke out as he visited the River Clyde at the site of the Athletes' Village in Dalmarnock, just yards from where he was born.
Dalglish, who now lives in north west England, was back in Glasgow at a presentation of the masterplan for the derelict site off Springfield Road.
He was given a tour of the rundown area by local councillor George Redmond, city MSP Frank McAveety and Glasgow architect Paul Stallan, head of the team behind the design of the Village.
Walking along the Clyde Walkway, Dalglish said: "I was born near here and played over there at Parkhead but I never knew this was here, the footpath, the riverside.
"This is crying out to be regenerated, not just for the Games, but to make the area great again for families around here.
"It's so important we get the funding in, make sure everything goes to plan, and get local people living here near this amazing riverside.
"There will be amazing sports facilities here, and I hope they won't be just for the higher echelons of sporting talent.
"We need these facilities to be for everyone. There's obviously no guarantee young kids will become world beaters, but the important thing is that they'll will be exercising and participating."
Dalglish was born at 76 Ardenlea Street in 1951, before industrial decline hit the area and his family moved to a tower block overlooking Ibrox.
He said he remembered playing youth football off Millerfield Road, at the south end of the planned Village site.
"It was against Our Lady of Fatima's,” he said."I think we lost about 13-0."
The contract for the development is expected to be put out to tender in the autumn.
Mr Stallan, from architects RMJM, is originally from Springburn but now lives in Shawlands.
The former pupil of Thomas Muir High School in Bishopbriggs said: "We hope to have a consortium in place by the end of the year,and I wouldn't be surprised if construction began as early as next summer."
Mr Redmond said: "The riverside, in particular, is an amazing asset and once it is unlocked, it will be a huge attraction for people to come and live here."
Mr McAveety said: "The development of the Village will allow us to reclaim land for the community which has become disused over many years. It will be a huge change for the area and people living around here are genuinely excited."

The village facts
* The 38.5-acre Athletes’ Village will be next to the National Indoor Arena and the new HQ of sports agency Sportscotland, opposite Celtic Park.
* It will house up to 8000 athletes and team officials for three weeks during the Games.
* It will be turned into a neighbourhood of 1200 homes. A quarter are expected to be social housing.
* Six "zones" will make up the village, residential, shops and facilities, green space by the riverside, a transport hub for buses, an administrative area and car parks.
* Other transport links include Dalmarnock railway station and the new East End regeneration route linking the M74 with the M8.