THIS time last year, Scottish football was in a state of limbo after the severity of coronavirus saw the season halted.

On March 13, 2020, it was announced that the season had been suspended indefinitely because of the pandemic, and divisions across the board were decided eventually on a points-per-game basis.

Now with Partick Thistle, former Pars ace Joe Cardle was one of those players across the game who had gone from battling for precious points on a Saturday to no football in almost the blink of an eye.

But, as restrictions began to ease, the 34-year-old – who holds UEFA B and A coaching badges – started offering one-to-one coaching sessions to kids in Dunfermline after setting up the Joe Cardle Academy.

Joe, who lifted the 2011 First Division and 2016 League One titles with Athletic, said that he wanted to "give something back" to the town in which he still lives but, almost 12 months on from first starting out his coaching academy, he has been delighted by its "incredible" success so far.

Joined by former Pars team-mate Nat Wedderburn, Dundee's ex-Partick player, Christie Elliott, Kelty Hearts' Dylan Easton, and fellow coaches Jamie Noble and Lewis Black, Joe's venture offers one-to-one or group coaching for kids of all ages.

Some players attending have even snapped up by other clubs, while the academy has also been doing its bit for good causes off the pitch.

The Press reported earlier this month that, following on from a hugely-successful toy collection for Edinburgh's Royal Hospital for Sick Children at Christmas, the academy embarked on an Easter egg donation drive for the children's ward at Victoria Hospital, collecting in excess of 500.

Joe, however, believes there's even more to come, and said: "What we've achieved so far, bringing all these kids in, getting them signed up at professional clubs and making them better football players, it's a great achievement.

"It was in the first lockdown that I started doing the one-to-ones. Now I've got five coaches, we're doing group sessions, pre-school sessions, all the one-to-ones, team sessions and we're looking after professional football players now with the one-to-ones as well. The world's our oyster.

"The whole year's been an incredible experience and, because we're not even a year in yet, this is just the beginning for us. We've got so many ideas, so many things that we want to do, but if you'd have told me this time last year that where we are with the coaches we've managed to bring in, the kids we're managing to bring in and who we're looking after from the ages of two right up to professional athletes, that we're able to be doing what we're doing in such a short space of time, I wouldn't have believed you.

"It's been incredible but we're not getting carried away just yet."

Joe, who has also played for Port Vale, Airdrie, Raith Rovers, Ross County and AFC Fylde during his career, continued: "I feel like we're giving a lot back as well. I wish in my time, when I was growing up, I had this experience that four, five professional football players are willing to give their experience of what they've learned in the game and pass it on to the next generation.

"When we're doing these one-to-ones and group sessions, I feel that the knowledge we've got in the game, and the badges that we've got – we're not just football players, we've all done our badges as well – is fantastic, especially at such a young age.

"For me to have my A licence – I think I was 30 when I got my A licence – everything that I've learned on the coaching side of things, and been able to pass these on to the kids that want to be football players, I feel that I can do that."

As well as coaching aspiring players, Joe is back in the midst of a battle to win League One promotion with his club, following a two-month hiatus.

Football below the SPFL Championship was suspended in January because of rising COVID-19 cases but, after the clubs agreed to carry out weekly testing, they resumed playing last month.

Joining him in his bid to help the Jags return to the second tier are two more former Pars pals, Steven Bell and Andy Geggan, who joined on loan from Lowland League East Kilbride and BSC Glasgow respectively.

"I've got Belly and Geggsy back so it's great to have a couple of old faces and boys that I got on with as well," Joe added.

"We've got a good bit of experience now in the squad because, going into all these games, we're going to need a bigger squad, so it's good signings from the manager bringing these boys in."