A team of amateur footballers from an east Edinburgh neighbourhood are seeking a permanent place to call home and are asking the council for help.
Bingham Athletic Football Club has submitted a bid to The City of Edinburgh Council to take over the lease of the Bingham Pavilion, and are crossing their fingers for a positive result next week.
The Pavillion’s lease is currently held by a private club who have refused to share the facility with the local Bingham lads. But the Bingham team believe that people from the local area should have access to and ownership of this local resource.
Team manager Reece Taylor explained: “The team currently has no access to the Pavilion as the lease is exclusively held by a private football club which charges fees to join. That means we have had to lead quite a nomadic and precarious existence, practising in places that just aren’t fit for purpose.
“As most people know, Bingham is one of the most deprived areas in Scotland, so it isn’t an option for most of these lads to pay membership fees or travel further afield to other areas. By gaining permanent access to the Pavillion, the group will have the opportunity to practice in a proper area and play games which friends, family and the local community can actually attend.”
The club is being supported by the Scottish charity Community Renewal who have been active in the area since 2016.
Community Renewal’s Cris Thacker said: “Everything we do in the neighbourhood starts with listening to what the community of Bingham, Magdalene and The Hays want for their area and then supporting them to achieve those aspirations themselves.
“We have been working closely with the football club and have assisted them in writing the bid. We will also provide ongoing support should their bid be successful.”
The bid has also received a massive show of support from Scottish international footballer, local lad Marc McNulty.
Marc said: “As a budding footballer growing up in Bingham, I know how important it is to have something that is accessible, so I fully support the bid.
“I hope that maybe some of these young guys can go on to have the career I have enjoyed.”
Reece, Cris and all the team now have their fingers crossed that the tender will be awarded in their favour: “It would mean the world to us to have this great resource for the local club. But they won’t be the only ones who benefit.
“This will be a place for the whole community to meet socially and come and support their local team. Plus, we will work with other local clubs and organisations in the hope that they too can make use of the premises.
“We really believe that we can make this a real asset for the community of Bingham.”
The winners of the Tennis Scotland Awards 2021 have been announced, recognising the exceptional contribution of individuals, clubs, programmes and competitions that helped tennis to thrive in 2020 as participation soared across the country.
As a result of record-breaking year, the University of Edinburgh secured the Education Award which recognises establishments that displayed innovative attempts at ensuring students could continue to develop throughout lockdown in 2020.
Prior to welcoming a safe return of tennis activity, the university kept students engaged in the sport through online fitness challenges, coaching and virtual social events.
As tennis emerged as one of the first sports to return from lockdown, the university capitalised by training volunteers to ensure that they could run additional sessions to cope with growing demand.
The efforts of coaches and volunteers resulted in all-time high participation figures for the university, with around 360-400 individuals signing up for sessions each week.
Meanwhile, John Frame from Penicuik has been rewarded with a Special Recognition honour in acknowledgement of his many years of dedication to the sport.
Across a glistening career in tennis, John officiated more than 75 matches on Centre Court and Court 1 at Wimbledon between 1975 and 2007; including the mens’ singles final between Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi in 1999 when he became the first person to chair 3 mens’ finals at the Grand Slam.
As one of a select group of people to have held Gold Badge status as chair umpire, chief umpire and referee, John’s career highlights include officiating in 47 countries at events ranging from the Olympics to Davis Cup ties.
The former school teacher at Penicuik High School has also operated on Tennis Scotland’s board as Tennis Operations Director since 2014.
In total, 13 category winners have been selected to receive awards, in addition to three Special Recognition awards which have been handed to John Stevenson, Rick Gardner and John Frame as an honour for serving the tennis community over a prolonged period.
The award winners were announced yesterday (Friday 23rd April), with an awards ceremony to be held at a later date.
Blane Dodds, Tennis Scotland chief executive, said: “The Tennis Scotland Awards provide the opportune platform to celebrate the hard work and commitment which was the driving force behind our sport’s progression in 2020, in face of the challenges posed by lockdown.
“We were privileged to witness such an outstanding standard of nominations and we are extremely proud of the contributions of the winners and nominees, alongside each individual who played a role in providing a safe and welcoming environment to play our sport last year.
“Following the barriers we faced, it feels more important than ever to acknowledge the drive and passion within our community which resulted in the continued growth of tennis in Scotland.”
Tennis Scotland Awards 2021 winners
Lifetime Achievement – Jan Collins
Volunteer of the Year – Amanda Barclay (West End LTC)
Young Person of the Year – Katie McKay (Wormit & Newport TC)
Coach of the Year: Development – Steven Birrell (Wormit & Newport TC)
Coach of the Year: Performance – Mark Openshaw (Giffnock Tennis Squash and Hockey Club)
Club of the Year – Giffnock Tennis Squash and Hockey Club
Education Award: University – The University of Edinburgh
Disability Award – Chrysalis Tennis
Official of the Year – Olwyn Roy
Competition of the Year – Western Health and Racquets Club: Club Championships 2020
Holly Blackham is hoping to raise funds and encourage families to take part in charity event to help society’s disadvantaged
Holly Blackham from Edinburgh is taking part in Scotland’s biggest ever football relay to raise vital funds for Street Soccer Scotland, a charity that helps people from a variety of socially disadvantaged backgrounds through football-themed training.
The 13-year-old will take part in the inaugural ‘Big Dribble’ along with 64 other participants as they look to dribble a specially designed Street Soccer Scotland tartan football 230 miles from Pittodrie Stadium in Aberdeen, down the east coast of Scotland and through the central belt, finishing at Scotland’s National Stadium, Hampden Park.
The challenge will start at 6am on 23rd April and will see participants walking day and night, with Holly taking part in the Edinburgh part of the relay passing Murrayfield, her old Primary school – Rosemount Primary, and the clubhouse of her current team Hutchison Vale. The challenge is expected to finish at approximately 11.30am on Sunday 25th April.
Holly said: “For me, football is about so much more than just kicking a ball. It’s about playing as a team, having the right mentality and working hard to put in the effort. Street Soccer Scotland have a lot of the same values and see the affect football can have and I want to support them to do the great work they carry out in communities.
“Football plays a big role in my life. I have played for Hutchison Vale for the past few years and hope to one day be a professional player for Aberdeen FC. The Big Dribble was something I was keen to be a part of as it allows me to help others through my love of football.”
David Duke, Founder and CEO of Street Soccer Scotland, hopes the new initiative can help to raise awareness of the charity’s work and believes this is a great opportunity to unite the country through football during these difficult times.
Join us for a special @thekiltwalk challenge as we aim to create Scotland’s biggest ever ‘Tartan’ football relay from Aberdeen to Hampden Park. We are looking for teammates to take a section of the walk (COVID-19 compliant) & help raise funds and awareness of our work. #Kiltwalkpic.twitter.com/1oGFWJSSR4
“We’re excited to launch our first participation event involving some amazing people from across Scotland,” he said. “We’ve been looking at hosting a country-wide event for a while now, but with COVID putting those plans on hold, we’re delighted that we’ve found a solution in The Big Dribble that unites people in a nationwide challenge while safely taking part in their own local areas.
“Dribbling the football from Aberdeen all the way to Glasgow through the day and night is no easy feat, so we’re extremely thankful to Holly and the others for rising to the challenge. Their fundraising efforts are massively appreciated and we’re extremely grateful to everyone who has continued to support Street Soccer Scotland throughout this challenging time.”
Street Soccer Scotland has also launched ‘The Wee Dribble’ so families across the country can also take on their own challenge over the same weekend. The charity has 50 special tartan footballs to giveaway to families who sign up to the event, and anyone who raises over £100 will also receive an exclusive tartan t-shirt.
David added: “We’re overwhelmed at how quickly our Big Dribble spaces filled up, so much so we’ve launched our Wee Dribble fundraiser to allow anyone and everyone across Scotland to still take part safely in their local areas.
“We had so many families looking to sign up to The Big Dribble, but as the challenge takes place during the night in some areas, it was a bit more difficult for them to take part. Now, the Wee Dribble allows children, parents and guardians to put their own spin on the challenge.
“Whether it’s doing laps in their back garden or keep-ups at their local park, we’re hoping as many families as possible will join in the fun to help support those less fortunate at this time when they need it the most.”
The event will be part of this year’s virtual Kiltwalk and allows people to take part in the nation’s biggest ever football relay in a COVID friendly way. The total funds raised by Holly and those in The Big and Wee Dribbles will be topped up 50% by The Hunter Foundation.
Also taking part in the event will be a few well-known faces from Scottish football, along with representatives from global brands Baillie Gifford, John Lewis Partners, Waitrose and The Wood Group.
To donate to Holly’s fundraising efforts, please visit:
Families looking to take part in ‘The Wee Dribble’ can sign up at www.thekiltwalk.co.uk and choosing Street Soccer Scotland as the nominated charity.
Founded in 2009 by David Duke MBE, Street Soccer Scotland is a social enterprise and charity which has helped over 10,000 people by using the power of football to create positive change by providing purpose, opportunity and connection for adults and young people experiencing social exclusion. Street Soccer Scotland delivers programmes across the whole of the country, 365 days a year.
For more information or to donate to Street Soccer Scotland, please visit:
England’s ‘Big Six’ clubs set to break from Premier League as new Super League is set up
Twelve of Europe’s biggest football clubs – six of them from England – have announced they have agreed to establish a new mid-week competition, the Super League, governed by its Founding Clubs.
The announcement has been met with fury by the football authorities, football clubs and fans groups.
AC Milan, Arsenal FC, Atlético de Madrid, Chelsea FC, FC Barcelona, FC Internazionale Milano, Juventus FC, Liverpool FC, Manchester City, ManchesterUnited, Real Madrid CF and Tottenham Hotspur have all joined the ‘Super League’ as Founding Clubs. It is anticipated that a further three clubs will join ahead of the inaugural season, which is intended to commence as soon as practicable.
Going forward, the Founding Clubs look forward to holding discussions with UEFA and FIFA to work together in partnership to deliver the best outcomes for the new League and for football as a whole.
The formation of the Super League comes at a time when the global pandemic has accelerated the instability in the existing European football economic model.
Further, for a number of years, the Founding Clubs have had the objective of improving the quality and intensity of existing European competitions throughout each season, and of creating a format for top clubs and players to compete on a regular basis.
The pandemic has shown that a strategic vision and a sustainable commercial approach are required to enhance value and support for the benefit of the entire European football pyramid. In recent months extensive dialogue has taken place with football stakeholders regarding the future format of European competitions.
The Founding Clubs believe the solutions proposed following these talks do not solve fundamental issues, including the need to provide higher-quality matches and additional financial resources for the overall football pyramid.
Competition Format
20 participating clubs with 15 Founding Clubs and a qualifying mechanism for a further five teams to qualify annually based on achievements in the prior season.
Midweek fixtures with all participating clubs continuing to compete in their respective national leagues, preserving the traditional domestic match calendar which remains at the heart of the club game.
An August start with clubs participating in two groups of ten, playing home and away fixtures, with the top three in each group automatically qualifying for the quarter finals. Teams finishing fourth and fifth will then compete in a two-legged play-off for the remaining quarter-final positions. A two-leg knockout format will be used to reach the final at the end of May, which will be staged as a single fixture at a neutral venue.
As soon as practicable after the start of the men’s competition, a corresponding women’s league will also be launched, helping to advance and develop the women’s game.
The new annual tournament will provide significantly greater economic growth and support for European football via a long-term commitment to uncapped solidarity payments which will grow in line with league revenues.
These solidarity payments will be substantially higher than those generated by the current European competition and are expected to be in excess of €10 billion during the course of the initial commitment period of the Clubs. In addition, the competition will be built on a sustainable financial foundation with all Founding Clubs signing up to a spending framework.
In exchange for their commitment, Founding Clubs will receive an amount of €3.5 billion solely to support their infrastructure investment plans and to offset the impact of the COVID pandemic.
Florentino Pérez, President Real Madrid CF and the first Chairman of the Super League said: “We will help football at every level and take it to its rightful place in the world.
“Football is the only global sport in the world with more than four billion fans and our responsibility as big clubs is to respond to their desires.”
Backing the new European league, Andrea Agnelli, Chairman of Juventus and Vice-Chairman of the Super League said: “Our 12 Founder clubs represent billions of fans across the globe and 99 European trophies.
“We have come together at this critical moment, enabling European competition to be transformed, putting the game we love on a sustainable footing for the long-term future, substantially increasing solidarity, and giving fans and amateur players a regular flow of headline fixtures that will feed their passion for the game while providing them with engaging role models.”
Joel Glazer, Co-Chairman of Manchester United and Vice-Chairman of the Super League said: “By bringing together the world’s greatest clubs and players to play each other throughout the season, the Super League will open a new chapter for European football, ensuring world-class competition and facilities, and increased financial support for the wider football pyramid.”
The football authorities have responded with their own joint statement:
UEFA, the English Football Association and the Premier League, the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and LaLiga, and the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and Lega Serie A have learned that a few English, Spanish and Italian clubs may be planning to announce their creation of a closed, so-called Super League.
If this were to happen, we wish to reiterate that we – UEFA, the English FA, RFEF, FIGC, the Premier League, LaLiga, Lega Serie A, but also FIFA and all our member associations – will remain united in our efforts to stop this cynical project, a project that is founded on the self-interest of a few clubs at a time when society needs solidarity more than ever.
‘We will consider all measures available to us, at all levels, both judicial and sporting in order to prevent this happening. Football is based on open competitions and sporting merit; it cannot be any other way.
‘As previously announced by FIFA and the six Confederations, the clubs concerned will be banned from playing in any other competition at domestic, European or world level, and their players could be denied the opportunity to represent their national teams.
‘We thank those clubs in other countries, especially the French and German clubs, who have refused to sign up to this. We call on all lovers of football, supporters and politicians, to join us in fighting against such a project if it were to be announced.
‘This persistent self-interest of a few has been going on for too long. Enough is enough.‘
Fans of the six English Premier League clubs have condemned the move.
Liverpool FC Supporters Union said: “Embarrasing. As fan representatives we are appalled & completely oppose this decision.
“(Liverpool owners) FSG have ignored fans in their relentless and greedy pursuit of money. Football is ours not theirs. Our football club is ours not theirs. We will respond fully to this statement in due course.”
The Football Supporters’ Association said in a statement:“The FSA is totally opposed to the proposals which seek to create a breakaway ‘European Superleague.
“The motivation behind this so-called superleague is not furthering sporting merit or nurturing the world’s game – it is motivated by nothing but cynical greed.
“This competition is being created behind our backs by billionaire club owners who have zero regard for the game’s traditions and continue to treat football as their personal fiefdom.
“The FSA, and no doubt supporters across the continent, will continue to fight against its creation.”
The Scottish Cup continues apace this weekend, as the Fourth Round kicks off with a bumper Friday night feast, with three ties this evening.
The 16 competing clubs have the carrot of knowing who their potential opponents would be in the Fifth Round if they emerge victorious, with the Fifth Round ties having already been drawn due to the competition’s condensed schedule this season.
St. Mirren and Inverness get the weekend underway at 6pm this evening, in a match where the home side will go in as favourites, being unbeaten in their last four matches against Inverness.
Inverness will be hoping to upset the odds however, and as a side on form will be confident in their ability to do so, having defeated their Highland rivals Ross County in the last round. The tie’s winners have the prospect of a trip to Kilmarnock or Montrose ahead of them.
Motherwell host Greenock Morton at 7pm, with the victors set to travel to either Stranraer or Queen of the South in the subsequent round.
Motherwell will be high on confidence having thumped Formartine United 5-0 in the previous round and will be aware that the competitive record is on their side: Motherwell are unbeaten in their last 19 matches against Greenock Morton at Fir Park in all competitions (W16 D3), while Morton’s last win in Motherwell came in August 1970.
Greenock Morton needed extra time to see off East Fife in the last round and have not beaten top flight opposition in the Scottish Cup since January 2008, when they beat Gretna 3-0 at Palmerston.
Friday’s televised match sees Dundee United travel to Forfar Athletic, live on BBC Scotland at 7.45pm. This will be the first competitive meeting of Forfar Athletic and Dundee United since March 1987, when United beat the Loons 2-0 at Station Park in a Scottish Cup quarter-final, following a 2-2 draw at Tannadice.
History is against Forfar Athletic, who have only reached the Scottish Cup quarter-final five times in their history, most recently in 2001/02, while they have only ever recorded one victory over top flight opposition in the Scottish Cup – a 2-0 victory over Falkirk in 1910/11.
The action continues on Saturday, first with Kilmarnock hosting Montrose at 11.45am in the first competitive meeting of the two clubs since April 1992, when Killie won 1-0 at Rugby Park in the old Division One.
Kilmarnock are aiming to reach the Scottish Cup quarter-final for just the fifth time since they won the competition back in 1997, while Montrose are striving to reach the Scottish Cup quarter-final for the first time since 1975/76, and for just the fifth time ever.
St. Johnstone host Clyde at 5.30pm in what will be just the third time the two sides have ever met in the Scottish Cup and their first meeting since back in 1938/39, when Clyde won 2-0 at Shawfield Park.
St Johnstone have not lost a Scottish Cup tie to a team outside the top two tiers since January 2006, when they were beaten 1-0 by Gretna. Clyde are aiming to reach the Scottish Cup quarter-final for the first time since 2004/05, the only time in the last 32 years that they have made the last eight.
Saturday’s televised match also kicks off at 5.30pm, with Aberdeen v Livingston live on Premier Sports.
Although Livingston hold the advantage in Scottish Cup ties, with three victories to one, Aberdeen are unbeaten in their last 16 Scottish Cup matches at Pittodrie, their last defeat coming against Raith Rovers in February 2010.
Livingston are aiming to reach the quarter-final of the Scottish Cup for the first time since 2004/05, with a home tie against Forfar Athletic or Dundee United awaiting them should they be triumphant.
The first of two televised matches on Sunday kicks off at 12.15pm, with Stranraer hosting Hibs live on BBC One. History is very much on the side of Hibs, with Stranraer’s last Scottish Cup win over top flight opposition coming back in February 1973, when they defeated St Johnstone 2-1 at Muirton Park.
This is just the second time Stranraer and Hibernian have been drawn together in the Scottish Cup – the previous tie in 2001/02 saw Hibs win 4-0 at Easter Road after a 0-0 draw at Stair Park. It will be the tenth competitive meeting of the two sides in total, with the Blues having won just one of the previous nine, a 2-1 win at Easter Road in Division 1 in August 1998.
The action concludes at 3pm on Sunday with the eagerly-anticipated Rangers v Celtic derby bringing the weekend to a close, live on Premier Sports.
This will be the first Scottish Cup meeting of the old rivals at Ibrox since January 2011, when the sides drew 2-2 before Celtic won the replay 1-0 at Celtic Park.
Celtic have won five of their last six Scottish Cup ties against Rangers – the Light Blues’ only victory in this period came in a penalty shoot-out in the 2015/16 semi-final.
With the home side having already wrapped up their first league title in a decade, Rangers now set their sights on completing a league and Scottish Cup double for the first time since 2008/09. Celtic, however, will be determined to end the season with silverware and defend the trophy they have won for the past four consecutive seasons.
Scottish Cup Fourth Round Fixtures:
Friday, 16 April
St. Mirren v Inverness Caledonian Thistle; kick-off 6pm
Motherwell v Greenock Morton; kick-off 7pm
Forfar Athletic v Dundee United; kick-off 7.45pm (live on BBC Scotland)
Saturday, 17 April
Kilmarnock v Montrose; kick-off 11.45am
St. Johnstone v Clyde; kick-off 5.30pm
Aberdeen v Livingston; kick-off 5.30pm (live on Premier Sports)
Sunday, 18 April
Stranraer v Hibernian; kick-off 12.15pm (live on BBC One)
Rangers v Celtic; kick-off 3pm (live on Premier Sports).
Yesterday marked the 120th anniversary of the first ever Scotland women’s international hockey match, when they took to the pitch to play Ireland on 13 April 1901.
The Ireland women’s team challenged Scotland to the match, and the Scotland women’s team, as early hockey tourists, took the field for the first time at Milltown, Dublin, and lost 2-0, a respectable score.
The Scottish team two days later defeated the hitherto unbeaten Leinster Ladies 2-1. These intrepid boat-travelling hockey tourists were truly pioneers in every sense of the word. Thus international hockey was launched, with all of the Home Countries being played the following year.
The Scottish Women’s Hockey Association was formed in February 1900 at a meeting held in Edinburgh attended by eight women’s hockey clubs.
The association quickly grew to eleven clubs and chose its first national team to take on Ireland, taking on the condition that the match be held in Dublin.
The first Scottish team was almost entirely made up of players from St Leonards School.
Reports from the first match against Ireland describe great conditions and a large crowd to watch the contest. Scotland wore dark purple frieze skirts and paler blouses with thistle badges.
The Scots held their own against a clearly well practiced Irish side. Ireland began to press as the game went on, and prompted some good saves by Simson in goal for Scotland.
Scotland won two corners but couldn’t convert either of them, however the same couldn’t be said for Ireland who dispatched a corner to make it 1-0 at half time.
A late press by Ireland brought the second goal and a 2-0 win.
In the second contest when they faced Leinster days later, the Scotland team hit its stride and put in a fine performance. Scotland’s captain J. K. Stewart scored both goals in a 2-1 win for Scotland, ensuring a place in history as Scotland’s first ever captain and goal scorer.
In 1902 Scotland defeated Wales 4-0 at Wrexham and then played their first matches on home soil, drawing 0-0 with Ireland in Glasgow and being beaten by England 4-0 in Edinburgh.
The pattern of annual matches began, lasting until the early 1990’s when England withdrew from these annual fixtures.
As lockdown measures ease, more golfers are preparing to get back out on the course – but it is essential that care is still taken before teeing off. Not only should we continue to observe social distancing but making sure golf clubs and equipment are cleaned to prevent the spreading of germs is vital.
Eager to help prevent spreading of the Covid-19 virus, experts at GolfSupport.com have provided tips on the best ways to clean golf equipment:
1. Golf club heads
After a long day at the course, your golf clubs are bound to collect dirt and debris. Follow these simple steps to keep them sparkling and germ-free:
Add 2-3 teaspoons of dishwasher liquid or soap to a bucket of warm water (enough to cover the club heads). Ensure it isn’t hot, as this may loosen the club head from the shaft.
Submerge dirty club heads into the water for 5-10 minutes to loosen any dirt.
Remove each club one-by-one and use an old toothbrush or soft-bristle brush to scrub away any stubborn dirt, ensuring you catch the back, front, bottom and each individual groove.
Run the cleaned club heads under water to wash away any remnants, avoiding getting the shaft and grips wet.
Dry with a towel. Ensure nothing is left damp as this is when rust can develop.
To give club heads an extra shine, gently rub in steel or chrome polish in circular motions and leave for a minute. Then ensure you remove all the polish – any remaining grease could negatively affect your game!
2. Golf club shafts Golf club shafts can also be prone to dirt. To remove dirt, use a damp cloth and clear any grime from the shaft, drying it thoroughly with a towel afterwards.
If your club becomes rusty:
According to a study by End of Tenancy London, vinegar comes out on top for the best multi-use disinfectant. So why not utilise it for your golf clubs too? Apply a little vinegar on the shaft with a cloth and gently remove any residue, ensuring you don’t scratch it. Finish by drying thoroughly.
3. Golf club grips
Golf grips are the most touched area of the club and can easily get dirty/worn from sweat, so they require regular cleaning.
Clean golf club grips after each session by using a damp cloth to wipe the entire grip’s surface, ensuring it isn’t too hot as this could damage it.
4. Golf balls
During a typical 18-hole round, golf balls are battered, beaten and subjected to all the elements. Not to mention the hundreds of tiny dimples that are experts at finding dirt.
Dirty golf balls can affect your game more than you’d think! Add soap, dishwasher liquid or our trusty friend vinegar (for a deeper clean) to a bucket of warm water and soak the balls for 15-20 minutes. If necessary, use a sponge and/or toothbrush to remove dirt that won’t budge. Don’t forget to dry them fully with a towel.
5. Golf bags and club head covers
Whilst unconfirmed and still a matter of debate, the coronavirus could live on clothing and canvas materials for up to two days. Remove this risk by cleaning your golf bags and club head covers as follows:
Remove all contents from the bag/clubs from their covers.
Depending on the material, lightly spray water all over the surfaces.
Using a soap and warm water solution, scrub the bag and covers clean with a cloth. Be careful not to scrub too hard – you may damage the material.
Use a hose to rinse/run them under clean water and assess for any further stains.
Remove any stubborn stains by spraying with a stain remover, then allow them to rest. Gently scrub it if required.
Once clean, allow the bag/covers to dry overnight – avoid leaving them to dry in the sun as this can discolour them.
6. Golf clothing
To clean dirty golf clothing, simply run them through the washing machine after each session. However, for clothes that smell or are particularly dirty, consider:
Avoiding using fabric softeners – they stop the odours and sweat from being washed out, in fact locking in the smell for your next practice.
Adding baking soda to laundry – one cup per wash deodorises and softens clothes.
We hope these tips on cleaning golf equipment can help avid golfers enjoy the wonderful sport whilst preventing the spread of coronavirus!
The Scottish FA has welcomedconfirmation from UEFA that Hampden Park will be able to host its four EURO 2020 matches with supporters in attendance.
The LOS Glasgow submission of a maximum 25% capacity for the national stadium (approximately 12,000 supporters under the EURO 2020 stadium configuration) has now been approved.
Plans for a Fan Zone in the city are also still under consideration with a decision anticipated at the end of the month.
The announcement is the culmination of a significant period of partnership work undertaken by the Scottish FA, Glasgow Life (on behalf of Glasgow City Council) and the Scottish Government, along with fellow LOS Glasgow members, Police Scotland and Visit Scotland.
Rod Petrie, Chair of LOS Glasgow and Scottish FA President: “We are thankful to UEFA for recognising the efforts of our LOS Glasgow partners in establishing a safe and manageable way in which supporters can attend the three group matches and Round of 16 tie at Hampden Park.
“I am also grateful to the Scottish Ministers and clinical experts for their assistance and ultimate approval in signing-off on the proposal that has today been endorsed by UEFA.
“An enormous amount of effort has gone into the submission but also in ensuring Glasgow and Hampden Park is ready to welcome supporters, not least with Scotland having secured qualification.
“We acknowledge UEFA’s timeline for ticket returns and will communicate updates to Scotland fans at those key dates.”
UEFA will be issuing an email to all ticket holders shortly to advise on the returns process for those fans who decide not to travel and next steps.
The hard work and commitment of Edinburgh’s tennis community has been acknowledged by the sport’s national governing body which has selected a local university, club and residents as finalists for four of the most coveted awards in Scottish tennis.
Heather Hooker has been shortlisted for the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award which honours individuals who have made an exceptional contribution to tennis for more than 30 years.
Heather’s (above, right) involvement in tennis began at secondary school and continued when she joined the WRAF aged 17 where she played in inter-station competitions.
Heather subsequently joined Craigmillar Park TC in 1983 and has since become an asset to the club. Throughout 2020, she took the opportunity to revamp the clubhouse and surrounding grounds to provide a welcoming environment as tennis returned to the community.
Meanwhile, Heather’s club Craigmillar Park TC has earned a place on the Club of the Year shortlist as a result of demonstrating outstanding community links and growth in 2020.
Clive Minshull, member of fellow Edinburgh club Meadows City TC, has been shortlisted for the Volunteer of the Year Award which recognises an outstanding voluntary contribution made to inspire others to participate in the sport.
Acknowledging innovative attempts to ensure students of all abilities could continue to develop throughout lockdown in 2020, the University of Edinburgh received shortlisting for the highly desired Education Award.
The shortlist for the Tennis Scotland Awards 2021 has been unveiled to recognise the contribution of individuals, clubs, programmes and competitions which played a key role in helping tennis to thrive last year as participation continued to grow across the nation.
Blane Dodds, Tennis Scotland chief executive, said: “The response of the tennis community played a pivotal role in enabling the safe resumption of tennis in 2020. This year, more than ever before, it feels important to acknowledge exceptional contributions which are being made within our sport.”
“The Tennis Scotland Awards provide the perfect platform to celebrate the success stories of the year. With nominations of a particularly high standard, each shortlisted nominee should be very proud of their achievement.”
In total, 27 nominees have been announced across 10 separate categories, with the eventual winners subsequently securing a place at the LTA British Tennis Awards. Winners of the Tennis Scotland Awards will be announced online on the 23rd of April, with a ceremony to be held at a later date.
Among the winners last year was Yvonne Birnie who received the Lifetime Achievement Award for outstanding services to Rothiemurchus and Aviemore Tennis Club.
Elsewhere, Scotland’s number-one ranked women’s player, Maia Lumsden, earned the International Player of the Year Award, whilst the 12U Boys North County Cup Team received recognition for magnificent performances and team spirit which secured their title of Team of the Year.
The full shortlist of finalists can be viewed here:
The row over the behaviour of Rangers fans celebrating their Scottish Premiership title win and flouting coronavirus laws rumbled on today.
Before delivering the latest coronavirus figures, Deputy First Minister Mr Swinney said: “I have to address yesterday’s events in Glasgow.
“All of us recognise that winning the league was a special moment for Rangers Football Club – and before I say more I want to congratulate the club on their success and thank all those fans who celebrated at home, and who followed the rules.
“But the behaviour of some fans has been an absolute disgrace, and has undoubtedly cast a shadow over what should have been a special day for the team.
“The success that we’ve have had in recent weeks in reducing case numbers is because so many people across Scotland have stuck to extremely tough rules, which are designed to prevent the spread of the virus between different households.
“To see so many people deliberately flouting these rules with no regard for the safety of others, is shameful. Events like yesterday risk spreading the virus.
“And they show no regard or respect at all for the millions of households across Scotland who have been sticking to the rules – who haven’t been able to meet up with friends and families, to fully celebrate birthdays and other milestones, or in some cases to attend funeral services of their loved ones.
“The Government and Police Scotland reminded Rangers of the need for the club to advice fans to adhere to the current restrictions in discussions on 26 February and 5 March. It is a matter of profound regret that that did not happen.
“The Scottish Government will be making our extreme disappointment at the lack of leadership clear to the team management, and we will be speaking to all the authorities about what further assurance they can give to us ahead of future planned games.
“I also understand that many people have questions as to the preparation for and the nature of the Policing that took place yesterday – and why they did not prevent people from gathering.
“I understand the anger of those living and working in the city centre at what they saw, and at what took place.
“Policing of such occasions requires difficult operational judgements to be arrived at by Police Scotland.
“The Justice Secretary has spoken to the Chief Constable and to Rangers FC, and will be doing so again – to understand why the events of yesterday took place as they did; what actions are now being taken to identify those responsible; and what more can be done to try to ensure we do not see repeats of those scenes at upcoming events.“
Rangers issued the following statement at lunchtime:
‘DURING the last number of weeks, Rangers can confirm that we initiated open dialogue with key stakeholders in relation to the possibility of us achieving a historic 55th league title.
‘We have proactively engaged with our local MP, the Justice Minister, the Scottish Government, Police Scotland and the SPFL in relation to maintaining a cohesive message regarding public safety during the Covid-19 pandemic.
‘We understand the jubilance of our support across the world who recognise this has been a historic year for the club.
‘Nevertheless, it has been of great frustration for all football fans across the world that they have not been able to watch their team within stadiums, especially for the loyal Rangers season-ticket holders who have stood by this football club through thick and thin in the last decade.
‘We reiterate the message from our manager, Steven Gerrard, who highlighted that fans should adhere to government guidelines – stay safe, socially distance and look after each other in this difficult time.
‘We are aware there is the possibility of more, significant milestones within this season, and we will continue to proactively engage with key stakeholders to maintain a cohesive message in relation to government guidance at this present time.
‘We look forward to further open dialogue with the government, police, SPFL and other key stakeholders.’
Police Scotland rowed in with another statement this evening:
Deputy Chief Constable Malcolm Graham said: “The behaviour which we saw at the weekend was disgraceful and I utterly condemn the individuals who chose to completely disregard the coronavirus regulations, putting both the wider community and our officers at risk.
“I also strongly condemn the lack of support from Rangers Football Club over the messages we repeatedly asked them to put out to persuade fans not to go out celebrating and encourage those who did gather in large numbers to return home.
“We’ve been planning for the conclusion of the football season for some time since the league was allowed to resume and the sport is in a very privileged position given the restrictions seen across the country for almost a year.
“It was very clear through the lack of messaging that Rangers did not take seriously their responsibilities in terms of seeking to persuade their fans to celebrate safely and responsibly.
“I commend the officers who delivered a policing operation which was entirely consistent with our approach throughout this pandemic to maintain public safety and minimise disorder, disruption and damage to property.
“They did this faced with considerable danger, all of which was completely unnecessary and avoidable.
“Where large numbers of people gather at an unplanned event such as this we use established crowd control measures to ensure we are keeping the public safe and manage those who are refusing to disperse.
“We will work with football clubs, local authorities and the Scottish Government to ensure we do everything we can to persuade people that none of these scenes can be repeated as the football season continues.”
