A statement from the Scottish Football Association:
Now that the window for Scotland Supporters Club members to purchase UEFA EURO 2020 tickets has closed, all supporters are asked not to travel to London for our EURO 2020 Group D match against England on Friday, 18 June unless they have a ticket for the match.
Trafalgar Square, the traditional gathering point for Scotland supporters, is being used as a socially-distanced, ticketed Fan Zone for key workers, while pubs and bars in London are expected to limit the number of football fans allowed in due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
With Covid restrictions still in place prohibiting large gatherings, Scotland supporters are asked to help limit the spread of the virus by remaining in Scotland. Please stay safe and enjoy the match locally.
Whisky lovers will soon be raising a glass to a new limited-edition single malt that has been specially ageing for nearly 23 years – and has only been released to mark Scotland’s reappearance at a major men’s football tournament.
Released by the Gleann Mòr Spirits Company, the Rare Find whisky has been produced in a unique partnership with the Scotland National Team.
The dram was first poured into its cask on 24 June 1998 – the day after Scotland went out of the World Cup to Morocco, losing 3-0 in St Etienne, France.
After decades of hurt, it will now be bottled the day before Scotland’s opening fixture of Euro 2020 against the Czech Republic on 14 June 2021at Hampden Park, Glasgow.
Karin Mair of Gleann Mòr Spirits said: “We are delighted to finally be able to share this special edition with Scotland’s long-suffering football fans.
“During the almost 23 years that it’s been ageing, Scotland may have endured football heartache, but this sublime single malt has been waiting patiently, developing its distinctively divine character.
“Along with the rest of the nation, we’ve also waited patiently, but the time has finally come to crack open this whisky and toast Scotland’s return to the major football stage.”
Only 280 individually numbered bottles will be made available, giving aficionados an unrivalled opportunity to own a unique piece of Scottish footballing history.
Karin added: “This whisky is a truly historic collector’s item that no fan of football or fine malt will want to miss. Its creation has been a long time coming and we know there will be plenty to celebrate on and off the pitch when it’s finally poured.”
Tasting notes
Big, bold and salty on the nose with a hint of sweet autumnal peat and baked apples in the mouth, the sweet peat develops into a sugary cereal layer with a softly spice, gentle ash and a dulcet phenolic finish.
How to buy
The limited-edition Rare Find, which originated from Cask 353892 at the Bowmore distillery, is the star player in a glittering line-up of Scottish National Team whiskies.
Only available to pre-order online, its team-mates in the Gleann Mòr squad are:
Glen Elgin 20-year-old single malt – a smooth and classy dram combining sweetly satisfying Scottish honey, warm spice and butter toffee.
Scottish National Team Blended Malt Whisky – a mix of select Speyside single malts, rich in lemon shortbread, dried fruit and toasted oak flavours.
Scottish National Team Blended Whisky – a winning combination of strength and style, with warming tones of toffee, vanilla, pears and spiced oak.
Duke and Duchess of Cambridge experience LTA Youth – the LTA’s new and innovative junior tennis programme
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were today given a first-hand introduction to LTA Youth, the new LTA programme that will help more children enjoy the benefits of playing and staying in tennis – whatever their age, gender, ability, disability or background.
The Duke and Duchess were visiting Edinburgh Leisure’s Craiglockhart Tennis Centre to learn more about the new programme and take part in a series of LTA Youth drills with local children.
After an explanation of the principles behind the programme by Scott Lloyd (Chief Executive, LTA) and Olly Scadgell (Participation Director, LTA) the Duke and Duchess went on court to join children from Canal View Primary School, Edinburgh, and try their hand at three fun games that help teach progressive skills for tennis as well as for other sports.
Firstly they did a hopscotch warm up, before picking up racket and ball to play floor tennis against a partner. The Royal couple competed with the children to see who could keep rallies going the longest.
Finally Their Royal Highnesses each captained a team of children in an epic game of ‘team cones’ with each child playing a mini match against the others to secure a point for their team.
Graham Watson (Chair, Tennis Scotland) and Blane Dodds (Chief Executive, Tennis Scotland) explained about the implementation of the programme in Scotland and the opportunity for parents to book courses locally.
Before leaving all the children present were given LTA Youth rackets to inspire them on their journey to becoming young tennis players.
Scott Lloyd, LTA Chief Executive, said: “It was great to be able to show Their Royal Highnesses our new junior tennis programme first hand.
“LTA Youth is designed to be fun, inclusive and competitive and help children enjoy tennis whatever their age. Courses across the country can be booked via the LTA website.”
LTA Youth courses are available to book now across Britain at:
Grassroots sports clubs and organisations in Edinburgh can apply for grants to help them bounce back from the pandemic, through Made By Sport’s ‘Clubs in Crisis’ fund.
Made By Sport, a charity which champions the power of sport to tackle social issues, is distributing over £4 million of grants to support the vital role that grassroots sports clubs and organisations play in communities.
Recent research indicates that 25% of community clubs may not be able to reopen due to the devastating impact of Covid-19. In an attempt to prevent this becoming a reality, Made By Sport are offering unrestricted grants of £2021 to those groups who do so much in communities to use sport as a vehicle for social good.
The pandemic has exacerbated many health and social issues. Research from mental health charity YoungMinds found that 83% of young people said the pandemic had affected their mental health, reporting issues with sleep, panic attacks and urges to self-harm.
In the face of these crises, sport is a vital tool to transform people’s lives. As well as helping to overcome mental health challenges, it is also a way to tackle important social issues such as reducing crime and anti-social behaviour, increasing life and employment skills and opportunities.
It also brings communities together and it is estimated that for every £1 invested in sport and recreation, there is a £4.34 return on savings in money spent on crime, truancy and ill health.
The #ClubsinCrisis fund, supported by the Cash4Clubs scheme, is now accepting applications and Sophie Mason, Made By Sport’s Chief Executive, urged clubs to apply.
She said: “We’re delighted to be able to provide £4 million worth of grants through our #ClubsinCrisis fund. With sport returning, now is the time to invest in grassroots sports and give our young people the best opportunity to thrive. Access to sport will provide them with more confidence, more resilience and better mental and physical health.
“We believe funders and policy makers should consider sport in a different context and Made By Sport will continue to lead the way in redefining what community sport can do as part of the national rebuild. Now more than ever, sport has a big role in reinvigorating communities and supporting young people post-pandemic.”
In order to be eligible, clubs must provide clear evidence of how they use sport to help young people develop life skills, employment opportunities, reduce crime and anti-social behaviour or tackle mental health issues.
A new ‘Football Rebooted’ campaign has been launched today by the UK’s leading smart energy supplier, Utilita, and former England and Premier League goalkeeper, David James MBE.
The campaign has been created to help the nation recycle at least one million pairs of ‘pre-played’ football boots and astro boots, saving families a small fortune, as well as 136,000 tonnes of carbon – the same as taking 7,000 cars off the road for a year, or turning the energy off in one million medium-sized houses for a week.
The ‘donate and claim’ campaign, enables anyone with spare football boots or astro boots to request a freepost ‘boot bag’ to donate their boots, after which their boots will appear at one of many claim stations that will pop up in parks, training grounds, and at some of the UK’s largest football clubs.
Premium pairs of the ‘most wanted’ retro boots and former and current players’ boots and other items will also be in the mix, giving anyone a chance to come along and grab a pair to be proud of.
The campaign is strategically designed to put an aspirational spin on a mechanic that will get good boots through to families struggling to afford new ones, after Utilita’s State of Play report revealed that out of the 74 percent of families who had been impacted financially by the pandemic, 18 percent won’t be able to send their kids back to grassroots football as they can’t afford boots and other items such as goalie gloves and shin pads.
Campaign ambassador and keen environmentalist, David James, and the Utilita team held focus groups with families, which revealed the barriers to boots finding new homes – the biggest being pride.
The donate and claim mechanic avoids families needing to accept charity from people they know, and makes claiming a new pair an aspirational activity, whereby people are impacting the environment, too.
Campaign ambassador, David James MBE, comments on why the campaign is so important: “Right now, there are millions of pairs of football boots that people have grown out of or replaced, and we need to make sure they don’t end up in landfill.
“Getting these boots replayed through Utilita’s Football Rebooted campaign will not only save players a few quid but will also act as an important reminder about the power of upcycling and reusing items that still have a lot of life left in them.”
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Bill Bullen, founder of Utilita – the only energy company created to help households use and waste less energy – explained why Utilita has created the Football Rebooted campaign: “Most consumers are becoming more thoughtful about how their choices impact the environment, but sometimes life gets in the way of making the right choice. That’s why we have created Football Rebooted, which makes recycling football boots with plenty of life left in them, really easy.
“The campaign has been shaped by grassroots football players, coaches and parents, so uses carbon-saving examples that really resonate with this audience – home energy usage and taking cars off the road. It’s been incredibly encouraging to see football players as young as six years old talk passionately about the importance of protecting the environment.”
Premier League and EFL clubs across the UK, including Portsmouth, Southampton, Derby County and Leeds United, have already signed up to donate the football boots worn by their academy players, while first-team players have also donated their own boots in the interests of the environment.
As part of the new campaign, schools can request boots be sent to them for children who they identify as needing football boots to enable them to play in or outside of school.
English Schools’ FA (ESFA) Chairman, Phil Harding, said:“The last 12 months have been very difficult for families, teams, players and schools alike and, as the National Governing Body for Schools’ Football, the ESFA welcome any campaign to help ensure children have every opportunity to take part in a sport that they are passionate about, but that is also so beneficial for both their physical and mental health.
“The Football Rebooted campaign not only has a great environmental message but is also working towards helping children to be active, participate and enjoy school sport.”
Hibernian FC has urged supporters to enjoy today’s Cup Final and reiterated that they should watch – and hopefully celebrate – the match in line with Government restrictions and with consideration for others.
The Club confirmed yesterday that Easter Road Stadium would close on Friday and will not reopen over the weekend, regardless of the game’s outcome.
And following the harrowing scenes from Glasgow city centre – where a man had his hand blown off in a shocking pyrotechnic incident – the Club is asking fans to desist from any use of pyrotechnics. These are not safe, can cause severe injuries, and can be harmful to health – particularly to those suffering from any respiratory illness.
Fans can now enjoy the game with families or close friends provided they do so in line with Government restrictions – so basically up to six adults from three households, whether in a private home or hospitality setting.
The game is being televised live via Hibs TV to International Subscribers and is also being shown on BBC and on Premier Sports – so loads of options to watch.
In his open letter to all supporters, Hibernian Chairman Ronald J Gordon said: “I also want to ask one more time for your support and patience. Please, cheer the team on, but please do it with your friends and your family and do it within the Government restrictions that are there to protect us all. Let’s not be part of anything that risks the progress made in tackling the pandemic.”
The Club is asking supporters to resist the temptation to gather unsafely in large numbers and making it clear that there will be no opportunity, sadly, to celebrate together as we would all like if Jack Ross and the players cap a great season by winning the Scottish Cup.
By adhering to the rules, Hibernian fans can help bring a return to stadiums a little closer.
Duke of Cambridge calls in at Spartans to talk mental health
Duke visits Spartans FC to hear about positive impact of the Heads Up ‘Mentally Healthy Football’ declaration in Scotland
Scotland’s spot-kick hero David Marshall joins Duke and other Home Nations players in zoom conversation on mental health
Mental Health League players engage in shooting drill with Duke and former Scotland international Steven Thompson
Spartans FC received a royal visitor yesterday when the Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, paid a visit to Pilton to hear about the progress made in putting mental health and wellbeing at the forefront of the game in Scotland.
The trip to Spartans was the Duke’s first stop on his visit to Scotland, and saw him meet with representatives from the Scottish FA, Breathing Space, Time to Tackle, the Hampden Sports Clinic and Bonnyrigg Rose to discuss the range of mental health initiatives running in Scottish football.
With the visit also coming on the eve of the Scottish Cup Final, the Duke met with former Scottish Cup winners Chris Iwelumo and Marvin Bartley, who previously won the Scottish Cup with tomorrow’s finalists St Johnstone and Hibs respectively.
David McPhee, Chair of the Scottish Mental Health and Wellbeing League, spoke with the Duke as they took in some action from small-sided matches featuring players from the League.
The League, which was previously run by the Scottish FA, was set up to support recovery and tackle stigma associated with mental health.
A number of the Mental Health and Wellbeing League players then helped the Duke test his shooting skills, as he took part in a friendly skills challenge with them and former Scotland striker Steven Thompson.
Scotland’s spot-kick hero David Marshall then joined the Duke and other Home Nations players in a zoom conversation to discuss changing the conversation on mental health and their experiences over the past year.
Also taking part in the catch-up ahead of UEFA EURO 2020 were Harry Kane for England, Julie Nelson for Northern Ireland, and Jess Fishlock MBE for Wales.
The plan, which supports the Royal Foundation’s Heads Up mental health campaign, aims to end the stigma around the issue in football and create an environment for people to talk openly about their mental health in the game.
The Duke learned of the success of the Scottish FA’s mental health e-learning platform, which has seen more than 9,000 players, staff, managers and officials in the Scottish football community complete mental health awareness training through the platform in less than a year.
This commitment saw governing bodies, leagues and organisations from across UK football join in recognising that mental health is as important as physical health, and pioneering a ‘team approach’ on this important issue.
With just over two months until the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Aldi is running a nationwide competition with Team GB, calling on budding child artists to submit a design for its latest lorry.
The UK’s fifth-largest supermarket is inviting school children aged between five and 14 to enter a hand-drawn design by Friday 25th June that celebrates fresh, healthy food.
The competition is the next step in Aldi’s longstanding partnership with Team GB, and the shortlisted entries will be judged by Team GB athletes – including Max Whitlock, Shauna Coxsey, Lois Toulson, Jade Jones, Lutalo Muhammad, and the Brownlee brothers – who will select one winner for Scotland, and one for England and Wales.
This initiative also forms part of Aldi and Team GB’s Get Set to Eat Fresh programme that aims to inspire young people to build their understanding and love of healthy, fresh food. Over the past five years, the programme has reached more than 1.9 million children across the UK.
Winners will see their design on an Aldi lorry, which will deliver food and drink products to stores across the country.
The supermarket will also reward the winning artists with Aldi vouchers and an exclusive Team GB goody bag. The winners’ schools will receive £1,000 to spend at Aldi.
Mary Dunn, Managing Director of Corporate Responsibility at Aldi, said:“The Design a Lorry competition is the latest in a series of initiatives we’re delivering in partnership with Team GB to encourage young people to think about healthy eating.
“We are looking forward to seeing the entries and hope that those taking part will learn about the benefits of choosing to follow a healthy diet along the way.”
Tim Ellerton, Commercial Director at Team GB, said: “Throughout our partnership with Aldi on the Get Set to Eat Fresh programme they have continuously created new and innovative ideas to engage and inspire young people around the topic of eating fresh and healthy food.
“This is a fun opportunity for school pupils to see their creativity rewarded and for their schools to benefit also. We look forward to seeing the end results.”
Alongside the Design a Lorry competition, the Get Set to Eat Fresh programme also offers a series of teaching resources, which can be used to educate children about eating well, the skills they need to cook for themselves and how fresh, healthy food powers Team GB’s champion athletes.
On Saturday, 22 May, 2021, St Johnstone and Hibernian go head to head in the Scottish Cup Final.
There is always significant interest in these extremely important fixtures and despite the match being played behind closed doors, this weekend’s game will be no exception.
The game is eagerly anticipated and passions can run high. However, fans can be assured that preparations for policing any gatherings in relation to the match are well underway with public safety being Police Scotland’s primary concern.
Assistant Chief Constable Alan Speirs said: “The Scottish Cup Final on Saturday is an important day for everyone involved with St Johnstone and Hibernian football clubs and we will have an appropriate policing plan in place to maintain public safety.
“It is vitally important that both sets of fans avoid gathering in large groups and stick to the regulations in place to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
“I also want to take this opportunity to remind people that the use of pyrotechnics is extremely dangerous. We have seen from events in recent weeks that the consequences of their use can be severe, you might not just injure yourself using them, but you could also seriously injure those in your vicinity.
“Police Scotland is already working with both teams and our partners, including the Scottish Government, to ensure the match goes ahead safely and supporters follow the restrictions for their own safety and that of the wider public and our officers.
“Our approach throughout the pandemic has been to engage with the public, explain the legislation and encourage compliance, but officers will not hesitate to use enforcement powers as a last resort.”
STREET Soccer Scotland’s free adult football session at Muirhouse starts back this Friday – for all abilities and anyone looking to improve physical and mental health get in touch!
