Wednesdays 4.30 – 5.30
Tag: Ainslie Park
Girls’ football festival at Spartans today
Today is Spartans’ annual girls’ football festival and we are getting geared up for a great day!
This year we are excited to be working in partnership with two international groups – Parikrma Foundation in India and Together in Sport Rwanda. Together we will help to change lives through sport.
Buddy Swim sessions at Ainslie Park
A new Buddy Swim session is taking place at Ainslie Park Leisure Centre every Thursday, from 1-2pm (during school term). Continue reading Buddy Swim sessions at Ainslie Park
Derby Days: Edinburgh College students run football fundraiser for mental health charity
Not one but two Edinburgh derbies this weekend. Hibs face Hearts tonight at Easter Road – but Events Management students from Edinburgh College are also hosting a charity football game at Spartans Football Club on Sunday (11 March)! Continue reading Derby Days: Edinburgh College students run football fundraiser for mental health charity
Keep the kids entertained this Easter
Keep the kids entertained this Easter at the biggest club in town
Looking for reliable and fun holiday childcare this Easter? Keep the family active and entertained with a range of adrenaline pumping and entertaining activities at Edinburgh Leisure’s holiday clubs. Book for a day or a week and there’s even the opportunity for an early drop off and late pick up at no extra cost.
Countdown to super sportsday at Spartans
Going for gold at Spartans Olympics
Spartans Community Football Academy are hosting a Sportsday for local primary schools on Wednesday 25 May. This will be the third year of this annual event and Granton, Craigroyston, Pirniehall, St David’s and Flora Stevenson P7s will all take part. Continue reading Countdown to super sportsday at Spartans
Fare play to Spartans Connections!
Central Taxis to sponsor Spartans Connections
Taxi for Spartans! Edinburgh’s Central Taxis are to sponsor local community club Spartans Connections. The Connections squad are delighted with the sponsorship deal and the new partnership is a great result for the Ainslie Park footballers. Continue reading Fare play to Spartans Connections!
It’s official: Memorial match at Spartans sets new world record
Craig Gowans memorial match smashes world record
The team behind the Craig Gowans Memorial Fund have officially become Guinness World Record Holders, smashing the record for the Longest Marathon Playing Football – in aid of the Sick Kids Friends Foundation.
The group of enthusiastic football fans played out of their skin at The Spartans Ainslie Park home last month, completing a 105 hour-long football match which finished with an impressive final score of 774 – 707!
The game, hosted in memory of the late Falkirk defender Craig Gowans, who tragically died exactly ten years previously, originally hoped to raise £37,000 for the SKFF – inspired by Craig’s professional number at Falkirk, number 37. With donations still coming in, however, the final total is set to reach around £100,000!
The money raised will be used by the Sick Kids Friends Foundation to fund enhancements to the new Sick Kids hospital at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh at Little France, specifically a state-of-the-art Snoezelen room in Craig’s name. The space will be a calming room with multi-sensory equipment providing a relaxing and stimulating space for children with sensory impairments.
Ex-Rangers, Hibernain and Scotland boss, Alex McLeish attended the landmark fundraising event, as well as the current Scottish Cup holding manager, John Hughes. Footballers Scott Arfield and Thomas Scobbie were also there to cheer the players on.
Dario Alonzi, a member of the Craig Gowans Memorial Fund organising committee, said: “We’re over the moon to have been officially granted Guinness World Record Holder status – the football match itself was an epic challenge and one that pushed us all to the very limit.
“To come away from the experience with official recognition of our efforts in the form of a World Record, as well as putting Craig’s name in the history books and raising £100,000 to gift to the Sick Kids Friends Foundation, is just priceless.
“Again I would like to thank absolutely everyone who played a part in making this match possible, as well as everyone who has donated so generously.”
Roslyn Neely, chief executive of the Sick Kids Friends Foundation, said: “We have been blown away by the funds raised by the Craig Gowans Memorial Fund Football Match. The heroic lengths they have gone to in order to raise this money is something that will never be forgotten.
“Congratulations to the entire team, I’m absolutely delighted to hear that they have become official Guinness World Record Holders – and deservedly so. The money they have raised will help us transform the experience of the young people who visit Edinburgh’s new children’s hospital when it opens its doors in 2017.”
Spartans Fund for Grim appeal tops £5300
Magnificent support for family devastated by Crewe Terrace fire
North Edinburgh and the wider community has dug deep to contribute to a fund set up by Spartans to support a valued volunteer who’s Crewe Terrace home was destroyed by fire on Thursday. Spartans set up an appeal for donations on Thursday evening – and just 36 hours later over 200 donations have been pledged and £5300 raised!
It’s a magnificent effort for a hugely popular volunteer – known as Grim O’Grady, Gary Betts set up Spartans Connections for players with disabilities over a year ago and the initiative has grown and grown.
Grim is still heavily involved in the setup and was at Spartans’ Ainslie Park home, just minutes away from his own family house in Crewe Terrace, when he first noticed the fire.
Spartans club secretary John McCabe told BBC Scotland news: “Grim saw smoke in the distance and made a joke saying ‘I hope it isn’t my house’ and then five minutes later his son phoned and said it was their house on fire.
“He was in an awful panic as he was worried about his pets. His whole house is gutted and his family only have the clothes on their backs, they have lost everything else. He is such a great man that we felt we must help him in any way we can so he can buy food and clothes and pay for accommodation.”
John McCabe went on: “We have had a big response from the community and Central Taxis has given him taxi vouchers so he can get around during this hard time. He does so much for people in north Edinburgh that they want to help him.”
While it’s fortunate that no-one was injured in the blaze, sadly the family pets could not be rescued and perished in the fire.
Grim has issued a statement on behalf of his family through the Spartans Connections website. Thanking Spartans, the community, he said:
“Obviously no amount of money can bring back our much loved pets but the community spirit that’s been brought about from our Spartans family is unbelievable.
“It’s incredible to see how far the hands of friendship have spread. Lynne, Jamie & myself are very humbled by how much has been given in the short & tragic time of these horrific events. It would have been a lonely horrible & isolated time had our community not come together.
“We’d like to thank everyone for their kindness, it has been such a crutch to know when we were at our lowest there were so many wonderful folk there to hold out their hands & pick us up. Showing great respect. We will be round to thank everyone soon.
“We are going to come back to our community as soon as we can find a place. We want to get back to where we belong & with the help of all our wonderful community begin to pick up the pieces & start again. Thank you all for showing such compassion and all your donations.”
To make a donation go to
www.justgiving.com/fund-for-grim
Scottish Cup: super Spartans are ecstatic!
Can high-flying Hearts complete capital cup treble?
With Hibs and Spartans safely through to the last sixteen of the Scottish Cup, all eyes with be on Tynecastle this afternoon – can high-flying Hearts make it a capital cup treble?
Both Hibs and Spartans came from behind in their fourth round ties yesterday.
The biggest upset of the day belonged to local Lowland League side Spartans, who came from behind to defeat Greenock Morton at Ainslie Park. A stoppage time strike by Beasley created history for the local team – giant-killers Spartans will now take their place in the last sixteen for the first time in their history.
Andrew Barrowman gave Morton a first half lead, but Spartans battled back and levelled through Willie Bremner in the second half. The tie seemed to be heading for a replay but Jack Beesley’s late late show secured a superb Spartans victory.
“The players in the second half were magnificent,” Samuel told BBC Scotland. “When we scored we were certainly going to go for the win – we weren’t playing for the replay, that’s for sure!”
Hibs successfully negotiated a tricky away tie at Alloa. Hibs fans may have feared the worst when Meggatt fired Alloa ahead in fifteen minutes – some Hibs teams of recent vintage would have wilted after going behind – but Alan Stubbs current side is seemingly made of sterner stuff and first half goals by Liam Craig and David Gray saw them safely through to Monday’s draw.
Now Hearts have the chance to make it a capital cup treble. All’s well with the world at Tynecastle these days: Mr Romanov is a distant memory, business is brisk and the team sits proudly at the top of the table, with the likes of Rangers and Hibs trailing in their wake.
Celtic are Scotland’s top team, but they’ve seldom fired on all cylinders this season and another European defeat in midweek exposed their frailties and showed they are far from the finished article.
Yes, Celtic should be too strong for Hearts this afternoon but all the pressure is on the Parkhead side – Hearts go into the game having comprehensively beaten their main title rivals Rangers last weekend and confidence is sky high. The Gorgie boys have nothing to lose by having a real go today. If Celtic do not perform, they will lose.
Both teams have injury worries ahead of this afternoon’s clash.
Hearts have Prince Bauben back in the squad but defender Kevin McHattie has been ruled out with medial ligament damage. Captain Danny Wilson and striker Osman Sow are also doubtful.
Celtic also have three injury concerns. Influential midfielder Charlie Mulgrew is struggling with a rib injury picked up during Thursday’s Europa League defeat by Salzburg and Jason Denayer is also unlikely to feature. Defender Mikael Lustig is sidelined with a hamstring injury.
Four SPFL Scottish Premiership sides exited the tournament at the first attempt yesterday – Aberdeen, Motherwell, Hamilton Academicals and Ross County have gone already. Will Celtic join them?