Children and young people at Edinburgh’s Sick Kids hospital were treated to a Christmas surprise from some famous faces when players from Hibs, Hearts and Edinburgh Rugby joined them on a video call.
Players including Christoph Berra, Craig Gordon, Ryan Porteous, Martin Boyle and Grant Gilchrist took time out from their busy training schedules to Zoom with some of their biggest fans, tell festive jokes and answer all their Christmas questions.
The Zoom calls brought lots of smiles and laughter to the wards, thanks to revelations including Christoph Berra confessing that he is receiving a mop from his mum this Christmas and Ryan Porteous and Martin Boyle treating one young fan to a rendition of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.
The footballers and rugby players would usually visit the Sick Kids to meet children and their families in person in December, which is unfortunately unable to happen this year due to Covid restrictions.
The Zoom calls were organised by Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity (ECHC), which supports the Sick Kids and works hard to make Christmas magical for those visiting the hospital every year.
Fiona O’Sullivan, Arts Programme Manager at ECHC, said: “The hospital visits from Hibs, Hearts and Edinburgh Rugby are always a huge hit with the children and young people so it’s a real shame these weren’t able to go ahead this year.
“However, we would like to say an enormous thank you to the players for taking time out of their day to chat with some of the children and young people via Zoom. Some of the kids are massive football and rugby fans so it really made their day to meet their favourite players.
“Christmas is a very special time of year and we work hard to ensure no child or young person misses out on the magic of the festive season. This year has been harder than ever for those at the hospital, so we are incredibly grateful to Hibs, Hearts and Edinburgh Rugby for continuing to support us and for spreading so much joy and Christmas cheer with the calls.”
ECHC runs a living advent calendar throughout December, which sees a different door in the hospital opened each day to reveal a surprise visitor or activity.
The advent calendar activities are limited this year by restricted visiting; however, the charity is determined to make this Christmas as magical as possible for children and young people, with everything from a silent disco, a festive cinema experience and a visit from a real ballerina.
Young players can study to degree level while pursuing their professional careers
Edinburgh Napier is teaming up with Heart of Midlothian FC and Hibernian FC to support young Academy players on a dual career pathway – studying at the same time as training and playing with their clubs.
A new course has been specifically tailored towards players whose training commitments make traditional study options difficult. The programme was developed in response to a request from HMFC Head of Academy, Roger Arnott, who was looking for a way to help support the young players to remain in education while beginning their journey as a professional footballer.
The University’s innovative part-time programme, for which young players from both Celtic and Rangers have also signed up, combines campus-based workshops and online learning which will develop the academy players’ knowledge of elite sport in a business context.
It will support the players’ integration into the world of professional football, while at the same time developing important academic and business-related skills. This approach is being used to allow the players to understand their environment, find their place within it, and connect more productively with professional sport and the world of employment.
The players will begin their studies this month at a level which offers six modules over two years to Certificate of Higher Education standard, with topics including psychology, the athlete in sport, and football in the digital age.
They can continue studying part-time for a further two to four years to complete a BA in Business and Enterprise in Sport degree, building their management, communication and leadership skills, financial acumen, and ability to identify entrepreneurial opportunities.
Students enrolling on the new pilot course must be registered as academy level footballers, but do not require Scottish Higher level school qualifications for entry; they will typically have chosen to pursue a professional football career before completing their Higher year at school.
Upon successful completion of this award, these players will be at the same or a higher education point as their peers who chose to remain at school. In this way, we hope to remove the disadvantage of leaving school for these players, while fully supporting that choice by using their new environment as a context for their learning.
The course offers the flexibility other study options have lacked for youngsters dedicated to football, and could be the key to a future career in sporting performance, administration, funding or marketing.
The only one of its kind in Scotland, this course is being piloted with a limited number of clubs initially and will be evaluated with input from dual career experts across Europe, with a view to potentially rolling out the model nationally and internationally.
Dr Tom Campbell, Programme Lead, BA Business & Enterprise in Sport, said: “One of the real strengths of the programme lies in the widespread application of theory to a familiar context, allowing students to draw upon their existing sporting experience while generating new knowledge and understanding.
“This new development will see the same principles applied to the football academy environment, and having the academies’ input into the design of the course has been invaluable in creating a state-of-the-art programme.
“I have no doubt that the students will hit the ground running and find the course to be engaging and rewarding.”
News of the course follows the announcement in June of a collaboration between Edinburgh Napier and the Scottish FA to launch the BSc (Hons) Football Coaching, Performance & Development, a four-year undergraduate programme to develop coaching professionals for the modern game.
Dr Susan Brown, Edinburgh Napier lead for partnerships and enterprise in sport, said: “This programme, developed in collaboration with the clubs, is an important part of Edinburgh Napier’s commitment to supporting the dual career of athletes, not only those who have reached elite level performance, but also those who are committed to pursuing a career in performance sport but are still in the development stage.
“This approach will take advantage of the environment the players are in.
“There is mounting evidence that a dual career approach is beneficial to performance and not only a useful activity for the future. We believe we can help the clubs support their young players to succeed both on and off the pitch.”
She added: “It is in developing these productive partnerships that we as a University can support clubs, organisations and governing bodies in sport and ensure that our academic programmes are fit for purpose for the students we work with. This programme follows the new collaboration with the Scottish FA, and existing partnerships with Scottish Rugby, Scottish Gymnastics and Cricket Scotland in particular, where the University is a key partner in the development and delivery of education provision at multiple levels.”
Graeme Mathie, Sporting Director at Hibernian FC, said: “It is a fantastic position for us as a Club to be able to deliver not only a high quality football education, but now through this partnership with Edinburgh Napier, a high quality education programme to our players. It is very much aligned to our strategic aim of being a Learner’s Club, and I have no doubt the players will benefit from the programme.
“I would like to place on record my thanks to my colleagues Sean McPartlin and Steve Curnyn who have been in discussions with the university for some time in order to deliver this partnership, and also to confirm a list of learners of various ages and stages from within the Club.”
Roger Arnott, Heart of Midlothian FC Academy Manager, said: “As a club, we place a strong emphasis on developing our young players both on and off the park.
“This partnership with Edinburgh Napier offers our talented youngsters the chance to enrol in a fantastic higher education programme. We have no doubt that this will stand them in good stead in the years to come.”
Hibernian FC is today delighted to announce that the club will proudly bear the words “Thank You NHS” on the front of our new shirts when next season does get underway.
The club decided to take the opportunity to express the thanks of the entire Hibernian and football community to our magnificent health service for the heroic, selfless and dedicated efforts of its staff during the coronavirus pandemic.
The club has spoken to senior management at both NHS Scotland and NHS Lothian, our suggestion has been warmly received, and the club will be working in partnership with NHS Lothian and Hibernian Community Foundation to deliver a layer of meaningful communications, engagement and community service.
We are further delighted to announce that our first home league game will be “Thank You NHS Day” and we will welcome hundreds of NHS staff along as our guests.
The words of thanks will adorn our new home shirts, and supporters will be asked to pay the sum of £5 to have the transfer applied, with all profits being donated to our local NHS charity, Edinburgh & Lothians Health Foundation.
Our mocked-up picture shows how the new kit will look with the message applied. We will be announcing how to pre-order your shirt over the next few days and the orders will be fulfilled when the strips are available in July.
The club is planning further fundraising throughout the season and expects to hand over a six-figure donation to the NHS charity by the end of the season. In addition, the club is donating a minimum of 100 tickets to NHS staff for all of our home matches, with fans being invited to participate in fundraising to help fund more.
Ronald Gordon, Hibernian Chairman, said: “In sport we celebrate our heroes and our stars. The NHS have shown they are our true heroes and our stars – they have valiantly cared for and nurtured us through the most difficult and challenging health crisis of our lives.
“Their efforts on behalf of all of us, which still continue today, have been magnificent and Hibernian wants to say thank you and celebrate them in the most meaningful way that we can.
“Additionally, we will be raising money and inviting NHS heroes to our games at Easter Road, and the club and our players will be working with our friends and colleagues at NHS Lothian to deliver a programme of health promotion and community service that will raise awareness and inform our entire community. I’m very proud, because this initiative speaks to the character and purpose of Hibernian Football Club.”
Scotland’s Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing, Joe FitzPatrick, said: “The dedicated NHS workforce are under unprecedented pressure as they deal with the impact of the pandemic.
“I welcome this excellent initiative by Hibernian FC, which will allow the club and its supporters to say thank you to the NHS. This generous gesture – which will be supported by further fundraising activity – will also see tickets given to NHS staff for home games, and a donation to Edinburgh & Lothians Health Foundation. As well as joining Hibs in thanking the NHS staff, I applaud the club for this wonderful idea – it highlights the positive impact football can have on a range of issues.”
Tim Davison, Chief Executive of NHS Lothian, also welcomed the idea, saying: “This is a big-hearted move from Hibernian Football Club and I know that all our staff and patients will greatly appreciate the generosity and thoughtfulness of this wonderful gesture.
“We are proud of our amazing teamwork at NHS Lothian too, so are delighted and grateful that a club with such strong local community roots should honour us in this way.”
Esther Robertson, Interim Chair of Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation, the official charity fund of NHS Lothian, said: “This is a lovely idea and will help us fund more initiatives to support the wellbeing of patients and staff during these challenging times.
“Our funds provide extras which core NHS funding cannot be used for, such as providing tablets to patients to help them keep in touch with loved ones while in hospital, providing recliner chairs in rest rooms for hard working staff and funding art activity packs to help reduce anxiety and boredom in patients while in hospital for extended periods. Initiatives like these make a big difference to patients and staff, particularly when the going gets tough.”
Leeann Dempster, Chief Executive, said: “Our front-of-shirt sponsorship is our most visible and valuable sponsorship opportunity and we thought this season of all seasons we needed to show our appreciation to the NHS.
“As Ron said, we want to say thanks and we want to help raise awareness and also raise funds for good health causes. We know our supporters will rally behind this in their thousands.
“The club and Community Foundation have a proud track record of working with NHS Lothian through our unique GameChanger initiative, and we will be combining to create a programme for matchdays and non-matchdays to help tackle some of the health and social issues we will see arise post-Covid-19.
“For the avoidance of any doubt, this initiative does not cost the public purse one penny. It has been helped enormously by a small group of supporters who supported us in the idea and we are grateful to them all.”
Police Scotland is requesting fans attending tonight’s Edinburgh derby do so in a responsible manner. The game kicks off at 7.45pm with a capacity crowd expected at Easter Road.
Police Scotland will have a number of officers and specialist resources in and around the stadium and across the city on match day to assist both football clubs and stewards in ensuring the safety of all those attending the game.
Chief Inspector David Happs, Event Police Lead, said: “The Edinburgh derby is one of the most exciting and popular fixtures in the Scottish football calendar. A capacity crowd is expected with more watching from home.
“We want both sets of fans to enjoy the game safely and in the proper spirit. It is essential that supporters act in a responsible manner and do not put themselves or others at risk.
“As such any flare, firework or any controlled container or bottle which could cause harm if thrown, is strictly forbidden from the ground. Items such as flares or smoke devices are dangerous and can endanger your own and others’ safety.
“It is illegal to enter or even attempt to enter the stadium with them so if you are found to be in possession of any prohibited items you are likely to be arrested, face prosecution and a football banning order.
“Criminality will not be tolerated and we will work with both football clubs to identify any person involved.
“There will be a high visibility police presence at the turnstiles to support the steward search operation of those persons entering the stadium. Anyone trying to get into the stadium whilst drunk will not see the game and may also face arrest and prosecution.
“Turnstiles open at 6.45pm and I would encourage spectators to arrive early at the stadium. Enjoy the game and please check the club websites for further details about stadium access and the ground rules.”
Hearts supporters not making the trip across the city can watch the game in the Eighteen74 fans’ bar at Tynecastle.
Tickets will once again include a welcome drink and half-time pie. Tickets are priced at £5 and a cash bar will be open throughout. Special guest speakers Henry Smith and Walter Kidd will be on hand for pre and post-match analysis and interviews.
The Eighteen74 fans’ bar will be open at 5pm with the event starting at 6:30pm.
Both Hibs and Hearts go into the derby on the back of Scottish Cup wins. Hibs gave their most impressive performance of the season when they swept away John Robertson’s Inverness Caley Thistle on Friday evening, with their five goals scored by five different scorers.
While Hibs victory was universally expected, Hearts win over Rangers decidely was not. While the Tynecastle side remains deep in the mire at the foot of the Premiership table, the Gorgie men put their league form behind them with a well-deserved 1 – 0 victory – setting up a mouth-watering all-Edinburgh Cup semi-final in the process.
Emphatic victory for either side tonight would see them going into the cup game with a psychological edge, but despite the gulf in their respective league positions this is likely to be a typically tight derby.
Hibs go into the game on a high and, should they reproduce their Friday form their pace will pose a severe threat to a jittery Hearts rearguard. However Hibs fans won’t need reminding that their heroes have often outplayed their city rivals in recent years – only to end up wondering how they managed to lose!
Rock bottom of the league and two points adrift of nearest team Hamilton, this is a game Hearts really can’t afford to lose. Saturday’s cup result was a huge boost for the beleaguered outfit, but they now need to carry this renewed appetite into their league form – and what better game to show that continued improvement than against their oldest rivals?
Hearts coach Daniel Stendel has urged his players to build on their performance against Rangers when they face Hibs in Leith tonight.
Speaking ahead of tonight’s Derby, the German was clear in terms of what will be required of his men on the night.
“The Rangers result was good for everyone; the team, the staff, the supporters. I told the players to enjoy this moment but on Sunday morning the only thing in our head was Hibs,” he said.
“We focused heavily on our defensive work in recent weeks. There was a big improvement against Rangers. Our problems haven’t been about high press or no press, it’s been about discipline and concentration. The biggest thing for me about the Rangers game was how good our discipline was and this must be the case against Hibs as well.”
“We need the same attitude, mentality and quality in our game in order to win the points at Easter Road.
“We have done everything we can to be as prepared as possible. The league is so important and of course it’s against Hibs. My first game against them was not so successful and I hope the second one is better.”
First goal – should there be one – could prove to be crucial.
Not got a ticket? There are some still available and the game is also live on the BT Sport channel.
The capital’s two footballing giants are putting aside their old rivalry to help thousands of young people in Edinburgh, the Lothians and Fife. Both Heart of Midlothian and Hibernian are urging their fans to dig out their old and unused clothing in a major recycling drive.Continue reading City rivals unite to support Cash for Kids
