Dancing in the streets of Sparta tonight?

Scottish Cup weekend again, and for many neutrals the tastiest tie of the round is the Spartans v Berwick Rangers game at Ainslie Park. Spartans go into the game as underdogs, but playing in front of a packed full house it would be absolutely no surprise to see the North Edinburgh community club progress to the quarter-finals for the first time in their history.

While it would be a notable victory, on the giant-killing scale Spartans beating Berwick Rangers would barely register a slight tremor. Their visitors, however, know all about cup upsets: Berwick featured in the greatest giant-killing story of them all.

On a cold January afternoon in 1967, 13,365 packed into Berwick’s Shielfield Park to watch a mighty Rangers team, packed with internationals, hammer the ‘wee Rangers’. That was the expectation, but nobody told the Berwick men!

Rangers pummelled away at their hosts from kick-off and forced ten corners in the opening half hour. A goal seemed inevitable, but when it came it shook Scottish football to it’s foundations – in the 32nd minute Sammy Reid hammered the ball past Rangers keeper Norrie Martin to put the minnows ahead!

Rangers battered away at Big Jock Wallace in the Berwick goal – yes, that big Jock Wallace – but they couldn’t break the defiant borderers down. The story goes that, with the game well into injury time and the Ibrox club facing cup exit, Rangers skipper and club legend John Greig had a word with referee Eddie Thomson and asked for another couple of minutes – but was told: “I’ve already given you four!” Berwick Rangers held on to create the greatest shock in Scottish Cup history.

The result was announced on TV and radio in the sombre tones usually reserved for royal funerals and rail disasters. I was a wee laddie at the time, but I remember it like yesterday. What I can’t recall is whether the announcers wore black ties – but I suppose back in those days it was all black and white anyway!

We won’t get shocks of that magnitude this weekend – not if Hibs were humbled by Arbroath, Stranraer stun Dundee United or wee Spartans shock Berwick.

But will there be dancing in the streets of Sparta tonight? I really do think there will be – take your partners!

Scottish Cup Fifth Round ties:

Today:

Dundee v Celtic 12:30pm

Falkirk v Brechin 3pm

Hibernian v Arbroath 3pm

Partick Thistle v Inverness CT 3pm

Queen of South v St Johnstone 3pm

Spartans FC v Berwick 3pm

Tomorrow:

Stranraer v Dundee United 12.30pm

Rangers v Raith Rovers 3pm

Spartans: be the twelfth man!

Local club The Spartans play Berwick Rangers this Saturday (7 February) at Ainslie Park in the fifth round of the Scottish Cup. If we win we will make history as the first non-league team to play in the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup for 55 years!

This Cross-Border clash sees the Lowland League title holders take on their third SPFL opponents on the Road to Hampden. We have already beaten Clyde and Morton and in both games the bumper home support has made all the difference.

Can you be the twelfth man on 7 February? We are making a big plea for everyone in the North Edinburgh community to come along and back their local team as we aim to make history!

The TV cameras will be along, “Pulse of the Place” our local Samba band will provide the pre match entertainment and hundreds of local youngsters will be bringing a real family atmosphere. It promises to be a magical afternoon.

Our Ainslie Park arena holds 3500 people, with 500 seats in our covered stand. Kick-off is at 3pm so please come down early if you want a seat.

Admission is £12 for adults, £8 for concessions and Under 12 s are free (pay at gate) – continuing our commitment to offer affordable football for all. With a bumper crowd expected, we have entrances open on both Pilton Drive and Pilton Avenue.

You can keep up to date with the pre-match news, previews and interviews on our hat-trick of social media sources:

website: www.spartansfc.com,

twitter: @spartansfc and Facebook: Spartans FC

The Spartans Football Club

| Live together, Play together, Win together

An Open Goal? Fans involvement in football clubs

Working group makes final recommendations

A group set up to look at how to get fans and communities more involved with the running of Scottish football clubs has published its final report.

The Working Group for Supporter Involvement in Football Clubs was set up by the Scottish Government in April 2014. Its remit was to identify, consider and recommend ways to increase and improve supporter involvement in Scottish football clubs

The group was chaired by Stephen Morrow, Senior Lecturer in Sport Finance at the University of Stirling. It comprised of representatives from the Scottish Football Association (Scottish FA), Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL), Supporters Direct Scotland and sportscotland.

The recommendations include:

• Development of an annual Supporter Involvement Award
• All clubs should give consideration of the best ways that supporters can get involved in how they are run
• Training and guidance should be given to supporters’ representatives
• That the Scottish FA consider as a matter of priority how best supporters can be represented in its formal governance structures
• Clubs to make various key pieces of information available, including names of all board members, their involvement in the club and the reason for their appointment, details of the number of board meetings held and the number of directors attending
• All SPFL clubs to declare the identity of their beneficial owner
• That best practice guidelines be developed for community clubs
• To explore the establishment of a Business, Community and Football Enterprise unit to provide legal and financial support to supporters and club owners

Development and implementation of these recommendations will be overseen by the working group and taken forward by the clubs, governing bodies and relevant associated organisations

Jamie Hepburn, Minister for Sport, Health Improvement, and Mental Health said: “Supporters should be at the heart of their football clubs, but too often they have felt marginalised and excluded. We established this working group because we wanted to find ways of making supporter involvement easier, and of strengthening the relationship between clubs and the communities they represent.

“The group has come up with some interesting recommendations and it is now dependent on everyone involved, including the Scottish Government, to make these work.

“These are challenging times for Scotland’s football clubs. The Scottish Government agrees with the working group that a legislative approach to addressing many of these issues is simply too prescriptive and not desirable or necessary at this stage.

“I thank and congratulate all those involved for taking part in this working group, and for taking the important issue of supporter involvement seriously. By working together to implement these recommendations I am confident both fans and clubs can bring about real improvements in how they engage and operate at all levels. ”

Stewart Regan, Scottish FA Chief Executive, said: “The Scottish FA acknowledges the need for greater supporter involvement in the national game. It is also supportive of the need to enhance fan engagement, not just in-stadia but expanding our digital provision. We have been pleased with the commitment shown by our colleagues in the working group and look forward to working together to implement the recommendations contained in the report.”

Neil Doncaster, SPFL Chief Executive, said: “Supporters are the lifeblood of the game in Scotland. We welcome initiatives that are designed to increase fans’ engagement with their clubs.”

Andrew Jenkin, Acting Head of Supporters Direct Scotland, said: “Supporters Direct Scotland were pleased to be an active member of this Working Group. We believe supporters are integral to the game of football and should continue to be further involved in the decision making with the group offering us the opportunity to shape future recommendations.

“The report rightly states that community ownership of clubs can come in many forms and brings a number of benefits to clubs, supporters and local communities. In Scotland there are various models and examples of fans joining together and offering new solutions in the future ownership of their clubs, from fully owned debt free Clyde, to the Foundation of Hearts”.

Stephen Morrow, who chaired the working group, said: “It is clear that Scottish football is in a period of transition. For example, after a period of great instability it is exciting to see one of our biggest clubs, Hearts, embarking on a journey towards supporter ownership. At the same time, another of our major clubs, Hibernian, is actively considering radical changes to its ownership and governance; proposals which are particularly interesting given that they are not emerging in response to financial crisis.

“One of the areas the Working Group focused on was how to reduce barriers to supporter ownership in circumstances where there is demand for this ownership structure. But it is important to stress that our group did not take the view that there was an ideal ownership model for Scottish football clubs.

“Our emphasis was on how best to encourage broader involvement of supporters, irrespective of the particular ownership structure adopted by a club and I am very grateful to the members of the Working Group for working so constructively to come up with proposals which have the potential to greatly enhance supporter involvement and supporter accountability in practice.”

The full report can be found at:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/ArtsCultureSport/Sport/football/WorkingGroupSupporterInvolvment

All set for city showdown

The Championship’s form teams lock horns when Hearts meet Hibs at Tynecastle today. The Gorgie men have established a seemingly unassailable lead at the top of the table but Hibs impressive victory over Rangers last weekend gives them hope that they can end their rival’s unbeaten run.

Everything has gone right for Hearts this season; never mind just the ‘talk o’ the toon’, the Tynecastle club’s transformation has been the talk of Scottish football. In a wee media world where Glesca remains the centre of the football universe, Rangers ongoing woes still capture most of the headlines but there’s been a quiet revolution taking place at Tynecastle.

The club has embraced a radical business idea – well, the football business, anyway – where you only spend as much as you take in and you don’t buy things you can’t afford to pay for! I know, it sounds crazy but it seems to be working so far for Hearts; call me delusional but maybe one day all cubs will operate this way – the ones that survive, anyway.

Living in the real world has done Hearts no harm, either. The club has established a fifteen point gap at the top of the table and has gone eighteen league games unbeaten – the sole remaining unbeaten club in the British leagues. Fans have flocked back in their thousands. It’s working.

Hearts have dropped just four points all season and that’s mainly down mainly to organisation and the increasing confidence that goes with a successful run. Hearts started the season with a win over Rangers and have topped the table ever since – week after week they have continued to relentlessly grind out results (even when they haven’t played well) with a consistency none of the challengers can match. It’s a winning mentality that’s become ingrained.

Hibs performance against Rangers last weekend was mighty impressive – the best ninety minutes the Easter Road men have enjoyed for years. Critics point to a woeful Rangers side but very few teams could have resisted the Hibs we saw last week. The problem is, though, consistency – what Hibs team will we see today? The buccaneering, free-flowing, attacking cavaliers of last week or the timid, disorganised, nervous bunch of individuals who too often underperform against sides they should comfortably see off?

If it’s the former, we’re in for a treat – facing Hearts at Tynecastle is a formidable test and it will be fascinating to see just how far Stubbs’ team has progressed. If it’s the latter, Hearts will bully them and brush them aside.

You don’t need an extra incentive in an Edinburgh derby, but for Hearts it’s surely to keep that unbeaten record intact while Hibs fans would take an awful lot of pleasure if their team was to bring that Tynecastle run to a crashing halt. Realistically it’s too late to mount a serious challenge to Hearts, but a victory over Hearts would get the New Year off to just the right start for Hibees.

Hearts go into today’s game without front men Dale Carrick, Soufian El Hassnaoui and Osman Sow, while defender Kevin McHattie is also an absentee. Lack of front men has not proved too much of an inconvenience in the league campaign so far, however – and who better than Director of Football Craig Levein to offer Robbie Neilson some sage advice about setting up a team without a recognised striker!

Hibs have been boosted by news that talismanic striker Dominique Malonga is available after being given special dispensation to delay his trip to the African Nations Cup with Congo. Neither Jordon Forster or Dylan McGeouch are likely to figure today and Farid El Alagui is also ruled out.

Key men today are likely to be Hibs’ Scott Allan, who was immense against Rangers and has impressed all season, and Hearts’ influential midfielder Morgaro Gomis but there are likely to be key personal duels going on all over the park and it’s just as likely that a totally unexpected match winner will be today’s derby hero.

I don’t expect any silky, flowing football but I do expect drama and excitement and I hope it’s the players, and not the match officials, who make tomorrow’s headlines.

If Hearts take something from today’s testing encounter there’s every reason to believe that they can negotiate the remainder of their league games without defeat. That would be a mighty achievement, and it’s enough of an incentive to convince me that Hearts won’t allow themselves to be beaten today – I predict a score draw.

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?

'Auld enemy' clash to help boost Ebola response

Government to match up to £5 m of public donations to UNICEF’s Ebola appeal

The British government will support a major fundraising appeal to help children who have been made orphans because of Ebola in Sierra Leone.

Up to £5 million of donations from members of the British public to UNICEF’s Ebola appeal will be matched by the UK Government, providing urgent support for families and children living under the threat of the disease.

Building on the success of SoccerAid, UNICEF, the world’s leading children’s organisation, will use the upcoming Scotland v England football match to boost their emergency appeal. Britain and Sierra Leone share a mutual love of the beautiful game, making this appeal particularly poignant due to the fact that football matches in Sierra Leone have been cancelled since August.

Ebola has put thousands of children in danger with many being orphaned by the disease. With schools closed, children have been cut off from their friends and many are fighting for survival on a daily basis. This funding will help care for and protect some of the most vulnerable children, especially those who have lost their parents and are in desperate need of food and other supplies.

Prime Minister David Cameron said: “The UK has secured real action from G20 leaders here in Brisbane but the generosity of the British people in helping those caught up in the Ebola crisis in West Africa has been second to none. That’s why we will match up to £5m of the money raised during Tuesday’s match, helping to make a real difference to the families and children living under the threat of the disease.”

International Development Secretary Justine Greening said: “This week’s Scotland v England match will give the British public the chance to show their support for UNICEF’s Ebola appeal in Sierra Leone.

“By matching pound for pound all public donations to the appeal we will help UNICEF give double the support to children who have been orphaned and had their lives turned upside down by this dreadful disease.”

This is the second time the Government has activated the UK Aid Match Scheme in response to Ebola, underlining the unprecedented nature of this outbreak. The British people have already responded generously to the DEC appeal and again the government is helping this appeal go twice as far by matching donations from the UK public pound-for-pound.

The UK has committed £230 million to date supporting the global effort to contain, control and defeat the disease in Sierra Leone. This includes:

Supporting 700 treatment beds to help up to 8,800 patients over 6 months;
Opening up to 200 Community Care Centres where people who suspect they might be suffering from the disease can seek swift and accurate diagnosis and appropriate care;
Building, running and staffing three new labs in Sierra Leone to help check the spread of the deadly Ebola virus, quadrupling the number of tests that can be carried out every day;
Supporting NGOs on the ground to work with people to agree practices which will allow them to honour their friends and relatives, while ensuring bodies are safely buried;
Doubling the number of burial teams in Freetown – and providing twenty more across the country. We have already made extensive progress on this, with UK support burial teams in the western area, which accounts for approximately a third of Sierra Leone’s population, are now burying 100% of reported bodies within 24 hours and,
Supporting a command and control centre to manage burials and Ebola patients across Freetown and the Western area.

In addition, RFA Argus and three Merlin helicopters are in Sierra Leone to deliver transportation and logistical support for medical teams and aid experts working in the country. In total, around 800 military personnel have been deployed to help with the establishment of Ebola treatment centres and an Ebola training academy.

Spartans look to bumper home support to sink Clyde

East meets West in Scottish Cup Third Round clash

The Spartans are hoping that Hearts and Hibs fans with a free weekend will swell the ranks of the Spartan Army as they face the challenge of Barry Ferguson’s Clyde in the third round of The Scottish Cup at Ainslie Park this afternoon.

Both clubs go into today’s clash in fine form. Spartans are enjoying a ten match unbeaten run, and while the local club are underdogs they are looking forward to the opportunity to tackle the SPFL2 side.

Spartans Manager Dougie Samuel said: “We go into Saturday’s game in a healthy position, with arguably nothing to lose. Playing against higher ranked opposition means that we find ourselves in the unusual position of going into a home game as genuine underdogs; that said, it’s a tag we will set out to enjoy.”

Clyde have been making steady progress under ex-Ranger Barry Ferguson and, unbeaten in five games, currently sit in sixth place in SPFL2 The ‘Bully Wee’ have a fine Scottish Cup history and, as the ‘big’ team in the tie, start the game as firm favourites.

Can Spartans defy the odds? It promises to be a cracker, and don’t be too surprised if the two sides have to do it all again at Broadwood on 8 November.

Kick off today is 3pm.

Admission is by cash at the gate: £8 for adults, £5 for concessions and FREE entry for all under-12s. Due to the anticipated crowd at Ainslie Park, entry will be via the turnstiles at Pilton Drive and Pilton Avenue (open from 2pm).

News from Blackhall Athletic

The club currently has five teams (4 boys and 1 girls ), we are in the process of starting up another boys team and girls team and in January another boys team will be launched. That will give us 105 boys and girls having the opportunity to take part in active sport.

As well as the sporting element, there are other benefits too. All of our boys and girls will, through training and playing, undertake over 180 hours of physical activity which is a health benefit.

And then there’s teamwork. Our players come from all over the area; they go to different schools and come from different backgrounds but they are all the same when they put on the club strip. This teaches them that they must all work together to achieve success and the young people learn the life skills they will need as they grow into adulthood.

Recently the Inverleith Partnership awarded a grant of £1164 to equip some of our teams and we have just heard that Scotmid have awarded the club a grant of £450 which will be used to equip a new girls under 13 team .

The club would not exist without this financial support and the dedication of the 25 adult members of the club who carry out a variety of tasks such as coaches, first aiders, admin duties and committee members .

John Adams, Blackhall Athletic

Craigie Amateurs call for community support

Craigroyston Amateurs is your local adults football team, based in Craigroyston Boys Club on Muirhouse Parkway.

We currently have 19 registered players and play in the Lothian and Edinburgh Amateur Football Association (LEAFA) Edinburgh Central League. So far this season we have played five games and our stats sit at four wins and a draw, and we have upcoming games in the East of Scotland Cup and The Scottish Cup.

What we would like is to get the whole area behind our guys – build a following, so to speak – so if you have a spare afternoon on a Saturday and enjoy a good game of football, come along and support your newest and freshest amateur team in the area!

The club also has teams at age levels from 08s to 00s …

Check out our website for more details

www.craigroystonamateurs.co.uk