Lawson slams Spartans over duo’s sacking

Mike LAWSON, co-manager of Spartans with Sam Lynch for the past 11 seasons, has lifted the lid on the turn of events at Ainslie Park which saw the pair leave the club earlier this week.

While Spartans have suffered a rare season without silverware, the loss of their East Seniors Premier Division title on the final day of the season to nearest rivals Stirling University and then defeat in the King Cup final to the same side, apparently masked much deeper schisms in the managerial set-up.

Lawson was today keen to set the record straight.

“Craig Graham [The Spartans chairman] telephoned me on Monday to tell me Sam and my services were no longer required,” he said. “In over 20 years of football management I’ve made a few mistakes but the biggest was staying with Spartans after I walked out of a meeting held a couple of days after our pre-season game against Manchester United last July.

“Match secretary Jimmy Murray, along with Sam Lynch, had persuaded me to join the club 11 years ago and it was only for them and the players that I stayed.

“At that first meeting, Sam and I had with the committee since the previous successful season, you’d have thought the first thing on the agenda would be some sort of congratulations? On the contrary, with every domestic trophy you can win in the East of Scotland League sitting on the cabinet behind us, they laid into Sam and me with a list of things they weren’t happy about.

“I told Sam I wasn’t listening and walked out. I should never have gone back. I was never a ‘true’ Spartan but Sam had been with the club as a player, coach and manager for over 20 years. He is the most successful manager the club will ever have and the first in its 60-year history to be sacked.

“Managers at Spartans have always been ex-players who all knew when it was time to move on. Sam has been there longer than any and his success warranted it. He wasn’t ready to go and should never have been pushed. His treatment has been shoddy and his sacking a disgrace.

“Since Monday I have found out that the committee have been trying to get rid of Sam and me for four or five years and I now know who has been trying to force us out. Our continued success must have been grating. It’s, dare I say it, ‘not in the Spartans way’ – more Roman and ‘Et tu, Brute?’

“Sam deserves much better. He’s worked for the club for nothing. As well as helping me with the first team, he’s pulled together the youth and Junior coaches to help develop our promising youngsters and, unknown to me, he enrolled the two of us on SFA Coaching courses to help with club licensing. I’ve since found out that he paid for that himself.

“I still have a hunger for the game and hope to stay in football in some capacity.”

Lynch, who had a successful playing career with Spartans before coaching and managing the club for the past 20 years, said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed every minute of my time as a player and as a manger with Spartans. I have worked with some great people and I have nothing but fond memories although I am disappointed at the way it has ended.

“I wish whoever replaces us every success and that they help move the club forward and into the SFL. I will never lose my affection for The Spartans.”

Murray, who joined Spartans as match secretary as the same time as Lawson and has since been a committee member and latterly a director, resigned on Monday before Lynch and Lawson were relieved of their duties saying he “wanted nothing to do with the committee’s decision to sack Sam and Mike.”

Craig Graham, The Spartans chairman, said: “We are embarking on a five-year plan with licencing, the introduction of a Lowland League and hopefully a place in the SFL. The committee decided that this was a good time to change as we want to build and introduce young players. We are an ambitious club with excellent facilities.”

An early favourite for the vacant position is certain to be the successful Edinburgh University head coach, Douglas Samuel, who is also the Development Manager at The Spartans Community Football Academy. Samuel previously played with Spartans while his assistant at Edinburgh University, Neil Irvine, is also a former player.

Thief caught using mugged Evelyn’s bus pass is jailed

A THIEF caught using a pensioner’s bus pass to travel to court the morning after she was brutally assaulted and left for dead has been jailed for a year.

Police cordened off the area around the area — Police cordon off the area around the entrance to Ferryhill primary School where Mrs Crawford was attached. (Picture: Thomas Brown)

Alexander DeVries was accused of attacking 75-year-old church elder Evelyn Crawford in Drylaw after detectives found him with her property, including the pass.

However, a sheriff has ruled that there was not enough evidence linking the 36-year-old – who has previous convictions for theft, wilful fire-raising and assault – to the crime.

Instead, DeVries has pleaded guilty to charges of “theft by finding” and fraudulent use of the pass.

A trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard that Mrs Crawford’s mobile phone was used to call DeVries’ ex-partner three hours after the robbery on January 15. DeVries admitted using Mrs Crawford’s pensioner’s bus pass the next day to travel to the court for a hearing.

Following the ruling, police chiefs said they were “not looking for anyone else in connection” with the robbery.

Mrs Crawford was unable to identify the man who tore her handbag from her grip, sending her sprawling to the ground and suffering from injuries to her head, broken fingers and broken ribs, which punctured her lung. She needed an operation to remove fluid from her lung.

The court heard detectives recovered CCTV footage from a Lothian bus in the days after the attack, which showed a man using Mrs Crawford’s bus pass. Detectives were able to trace the man as DeVries and a search of his home recovered the victim’s mobile phone, bus pass, wallet and her glasses and case.

Interviewed by officers on January 26, DeVries claimed he had found the mobile phone on a bus while the other items were lying on the ground in West Pilton Rise.

During the interview, which was played to the jury, one of the detectives said: “Everything you found in the last few days belonged to the elderly victim of a robbery. What are the chances of that?”

DeVries replied: “I didn’t rob anyone. It’s not in my nature to rob or steal from anyone. You can say what you want, but I didn’t rob anyone.” DeVries also told the officers: “I really, really sincerely didn’t rob the old lady. Picking up stuff from the ground, I’ll do. Robbery, theft, not my cup of tea.”

Detective Constable James Philp, one of the detectives on the inquiry, said that Mrs Crawford’s phone showed a call to DeVries’ ex-partner at 9.48pm on January 15. Mrs Crawford was attacked and robbed at around 6pm.

DeVries had claimed to police that the phone, which he said he found on a number 37 Lothian bus, was out of battery and he was unable to use it.

Told during the interview that the phone was taken during the robbery, DeVries said: “No danger. Check the cameras on the bus and you’ll see.”

Sheriff Paul Arthurson QC ruled yesterday that the charge of assault and robbery against DeVries – who has been on remand since his arrest on January 26 – could not be heard by the jury. he sheriff said: “There was not sufficient identification of the accused as being the robber. The overwhelming evidence of possession could not correct that defect in the case”.

A police spokesman said: “While we recognise the decision, we are not looking for anyone else in connection with this crime.”

In July 2010, DeVries – a father-of-one – was left with a ten-centimetre scar across his face after being slashed with a knife by two muggers in West Pilton Park.

College powers up solar roof savings

AT the size of four tennis courts, it’s sure to serve up some huge savings for Telford College.

Up to 650 solar panels are to be installed on the college’s roof – enough to heat water for the sports, hairdressing and kitchen areas of the campus.

The green energy project could save hundreds of thousands of pounds over its lifespan by cutting power bills and allowing the college to sell surplus electricity.

As the country’s biggest solar roof, it will generate enough energy to power 50 kettles simultaneously.

Designers have even covered the panels with a special film to protect them from seagull droppings.

Miles Dibsdall, principal of Edinburgh’s Telford College, which is based in Granton, said: “We have a strong commitment to developing and strengthening our green credentials, and the installation of the solar panelroof is a major endorsement of this pledge.”

Starting in June, the first phase of 210 solar panels will be installed, generating around 50 kilowatts of energy per hour.

That alone will exceed the current record of 204 solar panels installed on the roof of West Lothian College.

Mr Dibsdall said: “The value of having a unique project of this scale, literally under the one roof, will be immense.

“It will give unequalled levels of knowledge transfer in the field of low-carbon technologies that will help ensure the next generation of workers are superbly positioned to reap the benefits of the renewable boom.”

The first phase of installation and maintenance will cost around £90,000, but estimates suggest the college could make almost £400,000 in profit over the 25-year life of the project through savings and feeding electricity back into the national grid.

The college, which will merge with Stevenson and Jewel & Esk colleges in October, hopes to save between £2000 and £4000 a year on electricity bills alone.

A display in the college reception will show how much electricity has been generated and how much has been saved.

Other green initiatives being considered by the college, which has 17,000 students and 600 staff, include installing a hydrogen fuel cell system which could fuel eco vehicles.

Energy Minister Fergus Ewing said: “I congratulate Edinburgh’s Telford College on the exemplary role it is playing in Scotland’s green energy revolution.”

Man pleads guilty to rape of Drylaw pensioner

A TEENAGER today admitted raping and killing a frail pensioner who regarded him as a grandson.

Jay Soso, 19, pleaded guilty to carrying out the horrific sex attack on 63-year-old Marie Reid at her home in Easter Drylaw Way, Edinburgh on November 11, 2010.

policetape — Jay Soso admits having sex with the pensioner.

Mrs Reid’s body was discovered four days later after family and neighbours became worried because they hadn’t heard from her.

She was found lying in the living room in a bloodstained nightie. Pathologists say that the trauma of the rape contributedd to Mrs Reid death.

Initially, police thought that Mrs Reid’s death was not suspicious, but her son Paul, 31, and step-daughter Jacqueline pressed for further investigations to be made.

At this point it was discovered that someone had had sex with Mrs Reid just before her death.

The cause of death was unascertained, but pathologists said that the rape would have put an additional strain on her heart and lungs and could predispose her to sudden death

Prosecutor Leanne Cross told the High Court in Glasgow: “The deceased was raped on the evening of November 11, 2010. She had died at that time and the rape had made, at the least, a material contribution to the death.

Police contacted everyone who knew Mrs Reid and when interviewed Soso said he had not seen her for a couple of months.

However he gave a mouth swab which was a match for DNA found on Mrs Reid.

The court heard Soso and his mother lived next door to Mrs Reid for five years between 2003 and 2008.

He helped Mrs Reid by running errands for her and she was described by Soso’s mother Sharon as treating him “like a grandson.”

Soso’s family moved to England, but he didn’t like it there and moved back to Edinburgh.

By 2010 he had a job in a fishmongers in the city and lived close to Mrs Reid.

He visited her occasionally claiming he was checking to see how she was.

Speaking outside the court, Mrs Reid’s son Paul said he became worried that something terrible had happened to his mother when he noticed the pre-paid meter for her television was missing along with a tin she collecting loose change in and her purse was empty.

Paul and his step-sister Jacqueline Sanderson, 38, and her husband Gordon, 54, asked for the matter to be thoroughly investigated.

He said: “If it wasn’t for us and our persistence it could have been recorded as a natural death.”

Judge Lady Dorrian deferred sentence on Soso of Spring Gardens, Edinburgh, for background reports and an assessment of the risk he poses to the public until later this month and remanded him in custody.

Blackhall kids' Sports Day Saturday

The 2012 Blackhall Children’s Sports Day takes place at Ravelston park tomorrow (Saturday 2 June) and it’s forecast to be a scorcher!

It’s a real fun family afternoon with kids races (ages 3-16), mum’s and dad’s races, refreshments, go karts, beat the goalie, bouncy castles, slides and lots more too.

Organised by Active Blackhall, gates open at 12:15, race warm up at 1:15pm, with races starting at 1:30pm. Entry is by donation, and money raised from the event goes to supporting sport for children in the Blackhall area.

Remember your sun cream!

Blackhall kids’ Sports Day Saturday

The 2012 Blackhall Children’s Sports Day takes place at Ravelston park tomorrow (Saturday 2 June) and it’s forecast to be a scorcher!

It’s a real fun family afternoon with kids races (ages 3-16), mum’s and dad’s races, refreshments, go karts, beat the goalie, bouncy castles, slides and lots more too.

Remember your sun cream!

Jubilee holiday advice from NHS Lothian

As the Diamond Jubilee Holiday approaches (Tuesday 5 June), NHS Lothian is reminding people to think ahead as many GP surgeries, pharmacies and dentists will not open on that day. All GP surgeries in Lothian are open on Monday 4th June.

NHS Lothian’s GP out-of-hours service will be open on the Diamond Jubilee public holiday to see patients who are unable to wait until their practice opens the next day. To obtain advice or an appointment please contact NHS24 08454 242424.

Sian Tucker, Acting Clinical Director of Lothian Unscheduled Care Service, NHS Lothian said: “I would like to remind people that all GP surgeries in Lothian are open on Monday 4th June but make them aware that the majority of GP surgeries will be closed on Tuesday 5th June. Patients who rely on prescription medication should ensure that they go to their GP or pharmacist in advance of the holiday.”

In addition, the Minor Injuries Clinic based at the Western General Hospital is open for business as usual. It provides a walk-in service, from 8am-9pm. No appointment is necessary but calls can be made in advance on 0131 537 1330/1331. The staff at the clinic can treat a wide range of minor injuries from cuts and burns to wound infections, sprains and small bone breaks

It is important that people should only use Accident and Emergency departments for genuine emergencies.

NHS Lothian