Spartans look to bumper home support to sink Clyde

East meets West in Scottish Cup Third Round clashDEFYTHEODDS_306x268

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

bafclogoThe 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

Super Spartans – changing people’s lives

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The Spartans Community Football Academy have been working with Edinburgh-based Filming Scotland to create a film showcasing the work they do in the North Edinburgh commuinity. The film premiered at Spartans fundraising dinner at the Prestonfield House Hotel recently and had a huge impact: even ex-Liverpool and Scotland hard-man Graeme Souness shed a wee tear! See for yourself …

Spartans Community Football Academy – Changing People’s Lives

Craigie Amateurs call for community support

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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
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Fans First! Greens set out plans for fan-owned football

Hearts were on the brink, there’s deep disquiet about investment at Hibs and the mighty Rangers are in trouble once again. All is far from well in the world of football finance, so can the Scottish Greens score with Fans First?

IbroxThe Green MSPs have confirmed long-standing plans to bring changes to land reform legislation to give football fans the right to buy their clubs. 

The proposals were set out in a consultation response to Holyrood’s Local Government and Regeneration Committee, which is about to start consideration of the Scottish Government’s Community Empowerment Bill.

The submission also sets out plans by Green MSP Alison Johnstone, who is leading the Greens’ “Fans First” campaign, to broaden the 2003 Land Reform Act to include intangible community assets, not just land, in line with the general principles of the Scottish Government’s proposals. This would help communities to take on and run vital services like pubs, local cinemas, and even public transport.

UnityAlison Johnstone, Green MSP for Lothian, said: “The time has come for the Scottish Parliament to give fans the power to take on their clubs when they come on the market or when they go into administration, or possibly even at any time for a fair price.

“We’ve always argued that fans will tend to be the best custodians of the clubs they love, and that the long-term security and strength of Scottish football requires a move towards the kind of community ownership common elsewhere.

“Scottish Ministers have set up a working group under Stephen Morrow to look at this issue, which we support. However, the group will report after this legislation has been considered, so it’s vital that this legislative opportunity shouldn’t be missed. The changes we’re proposing will still mean fans’ trusts will require Ministerial signoff, just as is already the case with land reform, so the only risk would be if Parliament rejects our proposals, leaving fans with no prospect of progress any time soon.

“So we’re encouraging all the trusts in Scotland to make their views known. Do they want to cross their fingers and rely on the current slow move to fan ownership, or do they want Parliament’s support to put them in the driving seat?”

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Football tournament kicks off World Suicide Prevention Week

Choose-Life-TournamentTHE recent suicide of the much-loved actor Robin Williams highlighted how suicide can affect anyone. Sport can have a positive impact on mental health and wellbeing, so a five-a-side football tournament will kick off World Suicide Prevention Week in Edinburgh next Saturday (6 September). 

The Choose Life Challenge Cup will run from 9.30am until 12.30pm at Gracemount Leisure Centre on 2 Gracemount Drive with sixteen teams from Edinburgh, Midlothian, West Lothian and Dundee taking part. Among this particpants are two ladies teams from Edinburgh who will be copeting in the tournament for the first time.

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill will be there to present the trophy and other prizes.

Choose-Life-Tournament2Event organiser John Murphy, a project worker with Scottish charity Health in Mind, believes the Choose Life Challenge Cup is a fantastic event as it offers a comfortable space for guys to get together, reduces isolation and promotes a sense of belonging.

John said: “So many young men find it hard to talk about their feelings and in 2013, there were 795 suicides recorded in Scotland, with the rate for men more than three times that of women.”

John said the event provides a great opportunity for people to find out about the issues and the services available locally. “If there’s someone you know who you think might be considering suicide; ask them and be willing to listen and encourage them to get help – you could help save their life. Alternatively if you are feeling suicidal, don’t hide it; find someone you trust and talk to them.”

The Choose Life Campaign is part of the national strategy and action plan to prevent suicide in Scotland.

The partners supporting the Choose Life Challenge Cup – Lothian Five-a-Side Football Tournament are NHS Lothian, East Lothian Council, The City of Edinburgh Council, Midlothian and West Lothian Councils.

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The fitba’s back!

captainsFor some, it’s almost like that childhood excitement of waking on Christmas morning – the fitba’s back!

Yes, okay we’ve had the World Cup in Brazil, but really – what’s that got to do with us? The waiting’s over and it’s time for the real fitba’ – the blood and snotters Scottish stuff!

The days of poring over the fixtures in The Wee Red Book have long gone, of course – TV demands mean you’re just as likely to be watching your team at some ungodly hour on a Sunday as you are on Saturday afternoon – but the Leagues get under way this afternoon and it promises to be a season like no other in Scotland. Who would have thought that all interest would focus on the second tier?

Champions League hiccups aside – and they seem to have been very, very, lucky -, it’s inconceivable that Celtic will be allowed to lose the SPFL this season – possibly their last without the company of their dear Glasgow rivals. Aberdeen, Motherwell and Dundee United have all shown signs of being able to narrow the gap but it would be foolish to expect any one of them will pose a serious challenge to Celtic in the top flight this season. Celtic need Champions League cash – and they have the resources on and off the field to ensure they are back in the draw for next season. Whether their current manager will still be leading them into Europe is another issue, of course …

So if the top flight – the Premiership to give it it’s posh name – is a one horse race, what about the Championship (that’s Division Two for our older readers)?

In Kris Boyd and Kenny Miller bookies favourites Rangers (or The Rangers or Newco Rangers) have striking talent and experience in abundance – assuming they remain fit there should be no shortage of goals at Ibrox this season. It’s not impossible to imagine that either man could well score more goals than some teams manage over the course of the season.

Rangers (or The Rangers or Newco) should have more than enough resources on the field to lift the title and return to the top flight – or reach the top flight for the first time, depending on how you see the club’s status. As has been the case over the past few years, the Glasgow club’s problems are off the field. Boardroom shenanigans, HMRC (not HMFC, we’ll come on to them later!) circling ominously once again, poor response to share issues, fans unrest, Charles Green waiting in the wings … Rangers’ business problems have not gone away, and until they are resolved there’s bound to be uncertainty at Ibrox. If that ongoing uncertainty starts to affect the players confidence – and experience shows that it often does – Rangers are far from certain to win the Championship. And if legal issues continue to dog the club, will there even be a Rangers Football Club to support come the end of the season?

So who are most likely to benefit from a Rangers slip? It’s unlikely to be Hibs, who paid for years of underperforming when dropping to the second tier at the end of last season. A new Chief Executive, and yet another new manager simply can’t solve the club’s deep problems overnight. A bright new dawn or more misery with the Chairman still pulling the strings? We’ll have to wait and see, but title challengers? Unlikely. With just a handful of new players added to a very bare squad this is a season to rebuild – the club needs time.

The so-called ‘smaller’ clubs shouldn’t be underestimated – a few of them have proved more than good enough to beat the ‘big boys’ over recent seasons – but it’s hard to see any of them sustaining a season-long challenge.

No, it’s Hibs rivals Hearts who are poised to complete a remarkable resurrection. The club now has something the other contenders lack – stability – and the management team, knowing that Hearts were almost certain to be relegated at the end of last season, has meticulously planned this seasons’s campaign with that in mind.

The players brought in appear to have one something in common – for different reasons, each has a point to prove – and there’s a quiet confidence emanating from down Gorgie way. Whisper it, but don’t be surprised if the Jambos go on to lift the title.

Enjoy your season! I’m away to look out my lucky scarf!

 

 

Crackdown on fireworks in derby build-up

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Police have warned fans not to try to smuggle fireworks into the stadium ahead of today’s  Edinburgh derby at Easter Road.

Fans will be searched and cordons and a specially trained dog will be used to help identify anybody carrying illegal items into the stadium. Police say “robust action” will be taken against anybody caught with flares or fireworks.

The warning follows previous incidents at Scottish matches where flares, fireworks and smoke bombs have been set off.

Superintendent Liz McAinsh, who is in charge of the policing operation today, said: “We recognise that the majority of supporters are well behaved, however there are a small minority who in the past have put themselves and others in danger by throwing fireworks or flares.

“Anyone who is caught with a flare or firework can expect to be arrested, either at the time, or as a result of a post-match investigation. And as well as receiving a criminal conviction, they may very well find themselves being banned from attending future matches throughout the country.”

You’ve been warned …

Cashback to create more goal-den opportunities

Criminals’ cash to fund future football stars

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Millions of pounds confiscated from criminals is to be invested in Scottish football for young people as part of the CashBack for Communities Scheme. Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill announced yesterday that the Scottish Football Association (SFA) is to receive £2.25 million over the next three years to provide free football activities for children and young people throughout Scotland.

Mr MacAskill unveiled the new funding on a visit to Shawlands Academy, Glasgow, to see young people train as part of the Glasgow All Nations Sports and Recreation (ANSAR) Easter holiday football programme.

The programme is supported by the SFA Equity Project, a unique initiative aimed at increasing the number of people from ethnic minorities participating in the game which has received £467,475 of CashBack funding since 2011.

Mr MacAskill said: “The CashBack for Communities programme has been incredibly successful in using money seized from criminals to fund projects in every part of Scotland. Today’s announcement brings the total amount we have invested and committed to encouraging young people into footballing activity through the SFA to more than £7.5m – with £74 million invested or committed through Cashback overall since 2008.

“CashBack has made significant investments in Scottish sport and our commitment to helping grass roots programmes is underlined by today’s announcement. This £2.25million award will help more than 50 clubs and groups continue their excellent work providing free sporting activities for their local community.

“As one of our CashBack partners, the Scottish FA is helping us ensure that the ill-gotten gains of criminals can be put to good use by keeping youngsters out of trouble and hopefully unearthing future star strikers for the Scotland football squad!”

The Scottish FA has undertaken significant investment in equity projects with 1,400 individuals from 43 diverse ethnic groups across Scotland now taking part activities including playing, coaching and volunteering.

Welcoming the investment, the SFA’S Director of Football Development Jim Fleeting said: “The Scottish FA is grateful for the continued support from the Scottish Government via CashBack for Communities funding.

“The grant will enable us to continue our objective to grow the national sport at grassroots level and in particular to make the game accessible to all, regardless of ability, sex, religion or ethnicity.

“I am delighted to be at Shawlands Academy to recognise and endorse the great work undertaken by Glasgow Ansar. This kind of activity highlights the work of our Equity officers and today’s announcement by the Cabinet Secretary will enable us to help clubs such as Glasgow Ansar to access coach education, volunteering and funding support.”

Pilton gala queen’s now Queen of Hearts!

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Local businesswoman Ann Budge hit the headlines this week when it was announced that she would give financial support to Hearts fans in their fight to save the club. It’s not the first time Ann’s come to the aid of a struggling organisation – back in 2010 Ann, who was born and brought up in North Edinburgh, sponsored a NEN initiative called ‘An Inspiring Community’.  Here’s the article:

An Inspiring Community?

This month, NEN launches a new feature, and we need your help and ideas.  We want to showcase the successes and achievements of people who live or have lived in the North Edinburgh area and who have, in major and minor ways, helped to make North Edinburgh the vibrant community it is.  Who inspired them?  Have they gone on to inspire others?  Have you or do you know someone who has achieved success against all the odds?  Do you know someone who has done something really inspirational?  We are looking to encourage people to believe in themselves and to show that humble beginnings need not be an insurmountable barrier to success.   If you have been inspired by others or if you know someone who is inspirational, we want to hear about them.

In a regular feature over the coming months we will highlight the people who have made a difference, and later this year we plan to hold a gala event to showcase all that’s good about inspirational North Edinburgh.

The feature is kindly being sponsored by IT entrepreneur Ann Budge, who won the accolade of Woman of Outstanding Achievement in 2009 following an outstanding career of over 30 years in the computer industry.  When she received the Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2005, Ann was described by Entrepreneur Exchange President Sir Tom Farmer as ‘a tremendous icon for all businesswomen’.

Ann is very much a local girl made good.  One of five children, Ann was born and brought up in Royston, West Pilton and Drylaw.  Dad Jimmy was a docker and Esther, her mother, was a cleaner at the Western General.  She attended Pennywell School – which later became Inchview – and was West Pilton’s gala queen in 1960. Ann’s schooling continued as a bursary pupil at Trinity Academy, where she passed five Highers.

She then went on to study at Strathclyde University, where she gained an Honours Degree in Psychology.  At that stage in her life Ann had no clear idea of what career path she would follow, and got into computing almost by accident.  Following a comment from her sister – “Computers are the future; I don’t know what they do, but everyone is talking about them!” – Ann decided to find out more about computers and soon found herself on the first rung of the ladder in a new and developing industry.  She was taken on by Scottish & Newcastle Breweries as a graduate trainee and quickly showed her aptitude for systems analysis in the then exciting new world of computers.

Following a series of management promotions over the next 12 years Ann was head-hunted to join her future business partner Alison Newell at F International, a visionary computing company that actively encouraged the wider participation of women professionals in IT – particularly those with dependants.

In 1985 Ann and Alison set up their own IT company Newell and Budge, which proved to be very successful and the partnership lasted until 2001 when Alison Newell decided to retire.  Ann bought out her former partner, and the company continued to flourish – the annual turnover was then £38 million – attracting world-wide interest from the business community.  In summer 2005 Newell and Budge was sold to French giant SOPRA.

Ann stayed on as Chief Executive of Sopra Group UK, responsible for over 1000 staff across the UK, Ireland, North America and India.  One of the few women Chief Executives in the IT industry, she officially retired last year.  An honorary degree from Robert Gordon University summed up her remarkable achievements in a traditionally male dominated industry:  ‘Ann is an outstanding role model for women and an inspiration for everyone in computing”.

Ann is remarkably candid about her success, and her inspiration comes from very close to home.

“I laugh when I hear myself described as some sort of visionary entrepreneur – I don’t think I’ve ever had a vision in my life!   For me, throughout both my education and working life, it’s always been about hard work and being the best you can be.  My parents instilled in us from an early age the values of integrity and being honest.  They were very encouraging and supportive, particularly my mother – as children we were all encouraged to do your best, but never pressurised.  I was never boastful about being top of the class at school, but I know how proud it made my parents.  I know the sacrifices that were made to give me all the support they could and I always had a strong desire not to let them down”.

She went on:  “They were my role models and the values they taught us from an early age still hold true today:  you get nothing for nothing, if you want to get on you’ve got to work for it, be honest with people and, most important, look after your family.  We are still a very close-knit family”.

Despite a punishing work schedule that sometimes meant meetings in Edinburgh, London, Paris and India – all in a week – Ann has indeed always made time for family matters.

Ann’s sister said:   “To us, Ann is our sister first and foremost, not only a very successful business woman; she is part of a family circle in which she plays a big part.  Ann is supportive and inspirational to us all in many different ways. She spends a lot of time with her daughter, son in-law and granddaughter, she has a wonderful relationship with them, and as anyone who is busy knows this is never an easy balance to get right. Also her nieces and nephews have all benefitted from Ann’s willingness to give time to them and to listen and share ideas with them. She is always enthusiastic and encourages self belief in the younger members of her family. We are all very proud of her and her achievements”.

Ann also named two people from the world of commerce who she believes were influential on her career.  “Lesley Wise, who was my boss at Scottish and Newcastle, was an absolute autocrat and a very strong leader.  People respected him – maybe even feared him – because of his tough attitude. But in many ways he was a visionary, as he showed by encouraging and promoting woman within an industry which was predominantly a male environment.  I enjoyed working with him, he taught me a lot about IT and business management and we worked well together – perhaps he found it harder to be horrible to a woman!  Alison Newell had a very different management style – she really was a charismatic leader, the kind of woman you want to follow.  They were very different in style and personality, but both were inspirational in different ways and I was fortunate to work with them both.  I do believe in strong leadership – since early in my management career I’ve found that, for things to succeed, you’ve got to have strong leadership.”

So there is no magic formula to success, then?

“We came from a relatively poor background, but I was very fortunate because I had the right support at home.  I was never an ultra-confident person, but I’ve always believed that it’s perfectly possible to succeed – in life and work – through hard work, self-belief and striving always to do your best”.

Strong leadership, support, hard work and striving to do your best – qualities that will now be tested to the limit as she takes on the toughest challenge she – and the Hearts community – have ever faced.