or james combe on 467 2060 .
ROYSTON RANGERS UNDER 11S (Boys Born 1996) are looking to add players to their squad due to boys moving on to initiative football. We currently play in essda's top pele division on Sunday morning and are based in Granton area. We are looking for boys who are motivated and enthusiastic about Football. For more Information please contact Alex on 336 1237 or James on 467 2060 .
ROYSTON RANGERS UNDER 9s (Boys Born 1998) are looking to strengthen there squad and require a goalkeeper and outfield players, Anyone interested can contact dougie baird on 07990791546 or jimmy scott on 467 2400.For more information.
at Meggetland, Colinton Rd, home of Boroughmuir Rugby Club, writes CRAIG McDERMOTT. The East Lothian based organiser of the event, said: "The games will start at 1.00pm and finish two hours later. This venue is Astroturf and therefore no boots can be worn, but astro boots/trainer are ok. There will be nine teams from all over south east Scotland, with a local organiser in Ronnie Hamilton, from St Augustine' s HS."
Glasgow was designated European Capital of Sport in 2003, but in sport nothing stands still and neither does Glasgow. Kids play football all year round, but will be helped by the creation of an indoor centre at Toryglen, with a full size synthetic pitch. The jewel in the sporting crown, though, will be a £23million sports complex opposite Celtic Park, embracing an indoor athletics track with 5000 seats and a centre for volleyball!
*Will these places be open to community-based sports clubs is a valid question, considering that most projects in Edinburgh, Meggetland for example, where the football facility is being block-booked for the use of the elitist SFA Development Squads, while community-based clubs are offered lets starting at 9.00pm and night, up till 11.00pm! Hardly right, for kids aged 12 and upwards? Do you get the feeling that our kids are being short-changed?
updated and worth a read by any club/school looking for facilities to use!
THE old main wooden pavilion at Warriston was looking at its very best to welcome six teams of primary school footballers, the parents and friends for ties in the Inspector's and EPSSA Cup. The changes made in upgrading the old building to 'tolerable' standards were put in place by Edinburgh City Council Executive Member for Sport, Donald Anderson, following extensive criticism of council owned facilities in the Capital. The improvement inside the building is spectacular, with all rooms freshly painted, new locks of doors and the biggest surprise of all - the showers were working. With new heaters supplied in all rooms it was just right for someone from the Council to take up the challenge from Bonnyrigg Snooker Club owner, Mike Leslie, who said he would pay £50 in to a charity of the choice of any politicians brave enough to take a shower. Sadly, no one from Edinburgh City Council turned up, apart from the two groundsmen at Warriston. It was left to the wonderful Jim Goodwillie, back refreshed after his stay at his property in Santa Ponsa in Majorca, to show off his exceptional organising skills once again in staging these cup events at Warriston. Everything went like clockwork, with Davidson's Mains and St Peter's both going through to the last 16 of the Inspector's Cup, while Craigentinny qualified in their group in the EPSSA Cup. Another massive influx of primary school footballers will be in action again in cup qualifying groups at Warriston this Saturday, December 9, with more action in another of the groups in the Inspector's Cup bringing down the curtain on another glorious chapter of primary school football on Saturday, December 16. Santa Claus will be out and about on that day at Warriston and if anyone wants to hazard a guess at who is inside the red costume and also wearing the white beard, take a look at the green wellies Santa will have on. That should give everyone a clue to his real identity. Jim will fix it, once again in his own inimitable style.
*These changes at Warriston have resulted in the building being very usable and it would be great if this place was to be opened for use to clubs in the East of Scotland Soccer Development Association's soccer sevens programme on Sunday mornings. Clubs are looking for good facilities and if someone fances serving refreshments to what would be big crowds of parents and friends of the players, it would give a good income to this association. At the present time a lot of good work is coming from councillor Donald Anderson in his role as Executive Member for Sport in Edinburgh City Council. If the ESSDA contacts him direct, he may be able to get the use of this lovely ground and the refurbished building for the use of hundreds of other people in the Capital. Also on the agenda for cllr Anderson is a request to open up the new facilities at Meggetland to all clubs in Edinburgh looking for good places to play football and train. At present, no minor-grade clubs or schools are allowed to use Meggetland. There is a magnificent stadium at this public-owned venue and it is used exclusively by Boroughmuir Rugby Club. This stadium should also be open for use to all sports club in this city. Interested clubs should contact cllr Anderson at the City Chambers or by email to donald.anderson@edinburgh.gov.uk The Executive Member for Sport has already authorised work at Double Hedges and Warriston and these two venues now have clean changing facilities, but nothing to compare with Meggetland. In the new spirit of co-operation emanating from the City Chambers towards minor-grade football clubs, it presents an opportunity for all clubs to share in the new facilities being made available.
Free Scottish FA Coaching Course 8th December Peffermill Edinburgh.
to a free in-service session in preparation for the Level 4 Youth Award.
The course is aimed at coach's taking teams at the 13 to 21 age group.
9pm at Peffermill Playing Fields Edinburgh.
Dear Donald, this is the most wonderful news for me. I think by providing pitches on the 3G surface opens up all possibilities within communities. These pitches can be used 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks in a year, etc, etc. Wherever you dedice to site this facility, I will give it my total backing and publicise it for you. I hope you will ensure it is looked after by the East Football Project along with the Unite the Clubs Forum and they administer it to be shared by all, not just one club or the dreadful SFA Community Coaches. I would love to see this facility built in Leith Links, to be shared by Leith Athletic, Redpath Albion, Lochend Boys Club, St Mary's School, Leith Primary School, Hermitage Park, the Sikh Community Football Project, the Scottish Asian Sports Association and the Leith Youth Forum to they can continue their work in the Show Racism the Red Card initiative. To the benefit of all and the two groups, united, will ensure this will happen. All income will go to the groups and they will take over all responsponsibilies for looking after it, maintenance and improvements in other parts of the Links, such as the old tennis courts. More 3G surfaces there would open up this disused part of the park to the younger children in a densely populated area of our beautiful city. These are my views and others may have different ideas. Wherever, I will support this initiative and give it the maximum publicity I can. What a wonderful boost it would be to all community-based sports associations to be able to use such a magnificent facility. With best wishes and kind regards, from Ian Mackay.
THERE is a wonderful new spirit of co-operation - and hope - in minor-grade football circles as we approach the end of another busy year promoting the game at all levels for young people in Edinburgh. The recent announcement by councillor Donald Anderson that £3m is being set aside to build brand new facilities and upgrade pitches at pubic-owned playing fields is wonderful news. Arrangements for a Unite the Clubs Protest March are surging ahead under the control of the newly formed Unite the Clubs Forum. At long last, clubs are seeing the advantage of forming a united body to ‘speak’ on behalf of the clubs themselves. Letters are going to be sent out to club/league secretaries throughout Scotland inviting them all to join together and the BBC are currently collecting pictures from other places throughout out country for a possible feature programme on the shocking state of facilities and pitches on offer to community-based football/sports organisations. This is a nation-wide problem, but here in Edinburgh, councillor Anderson as the Executive Member for Sport in Edinburgh City Council has taken a pro-active role in the upgrading of facilities following the high-profile criticism in the Evening News, the BBC and other fomrs of the media. It has, in many respects, been a very stressful time for all involved. The Unite the Clubs Forum are also contacting the East Football Project committee to see if they can unite to make themselves an even more powerful body. The support for the Unite the Clubs Protest March on Wednesday, February 14, 2007, is growing daily and thousands of young people are expected to take part in what should, hopefully, be a wonderful show of strength by people of all ages in a bid to really get their message over to policians, both in Edinburgh City Council and the Scottish Parliament. There are signs that the message has been listened to by counillor Anderson and his colleagues in the Capital and he has taken swift action to have urgent work carried out at both Double Hedges and Warriston Playing Fields, In his most recent communication to me, he said: “Edinburgh Liesure have responded to the issues that you raised about Sighthill. Also thank you for raising these issues about changing facilities in the city. I know that you are still very critical of us, but I would like to reassure you that I am doing my best to tackle what I accepted from the start was a real problem. I hope that we can use this investment as a start to build a much stronger relationship between the council and clubs in the in the city. As long as I am here I will try my very best to make that happen” This campaign is, and never has been, a personal criticism of Donald Anderson, neither has it been done for politicial reasons. What he has been landed with has been caused by more that 60 years neglect by politicians throughout Scotland in investing in young people, in this case not upgrading and maintaining public owned property used for sport. The Executive Member for sport has taken on board what has been at times, savage criticism and, to his lasting credit, really done something about it. However where the pubic are concerned, there is always some doubt that ‘all is not what it seems’ in political statements and all these wonderful promises will really be proved to be correct when the facilities are up and running. Hopefully, councillor Anderson will involve the Unite the Clubs Forum and East Football Project in deciding where these improvements are going to be made and which clubs will be given access to them. That trust in volunteers in promoting sport in each respective community should not be solely hindered by high-handed officials in Waterloo Place. The people in grass-roots sport/football must be totally involved, please! An example of the officials based in Waterloo Place was highlighted again at Meggetland. While £3m has been promised to upgrade and build new facilities throughout Edinburgh, Boroughmuir Rugby Club have secured for themselves the most wonderful, modern, civilised facilities I have ever seen, built on public-owned land and paid for out of money raised from the sale of land at Meggetland to a house builder. Should this rugby club not be made to share the magnificent stadium with clubs such as Edinburgh City Youth FC or Hutchison Vale FC, two of the biggest young organsations in Scotland and who are both struggling to find a 'home' for more than a combined total of 1000 young footbers? Can Edinburgh Secondary Schools FA not be given the use of what is pubic property for cup finals and representative games, the stadium at Meggetland? Can’t we all share in the magnificent facilities? The enclosed football pitch at Meggetland is also, apparently, not to be used by youth football clubs in general! Ricky Clapperton, a coach with the highly-successful Spartans FC under-19s made an inquiry to an official in Waterloo Place asking if he could have a let for the use of the pitch. He was turned down and told the new facility was going to be 'used exclusively by the SFA Development Squads'! These, then, are two more areas of concern for councillor Anderson to address, urgently! These facilities do not belong solely to a rugby club or the elitist SFA and their subservient elitist cronies in Waterloo Place. These facilities belong to the people of Edinburgh. Councillor Anderson has heralded in a new air of hope and confidence that someone is on the side of community-based football clubs at long last. Well done, Donald Anderson, but it just the start. He has taken a lead to show that policians do care about young people and this will now spread to the Scottish Executive - as they are about to find out! The campaigns go on and it will take must more before real signs of a similar approach from our Scottish Parliament is forthcoming. Grassroots football volunteers, along with the Evening News, BBC and other agencies have united at last and it is future generations of young people, not only in Edinburgh, but all other parts of Scotland that will benefit. Donald Anderson has started the ball rolling! Sadly, for the councillor and his colleagues, I do not intend giving up my work in highlighting all that is currently wrong in minor-grade football and if the useless Scottish Football Association based in Glasgow think they are going to escape criticism, I can assure the gang of cronies and cliques at Hampden Park they, too, are going to have their 'role' in the decline in facilities in this country fully exposed. The so-called 'ruling body' are equally culpable!
FORMER amateur star, Gary Mooney, is looking to manage a club in the Edinburgh area. Gary played for Tranent Amateurs and Newcraighall Vics in the Lothian & Edinburgh AFA and he is currently the boss at Burntisland Shipyard. However, the travelling is taking its toll on Gary and he is now looking for a club nearer home. He has a wealth of experience and his fingertips and he keen to pass on his knowledge to aspiring young players and he can be contacted on sarayandgarymooney@btinternet.com or by phone on 07918659654.
URGENT work is being done to bring the changingrooms at Warriston up to a more 'tolerable' standard, prior to the visit from Councillor Donald Anderson and other politicians on Saturday, December 2 - as part of a challenge issued to them by local businessman, Mike Leslie. The owner of Bonnyrigg Snooker Club in Midlothian, whose son plays football for an Edinburgh youth club, issued the challenge to 'Donald Anderson & Co' last month, offering to donate £50 to a charity if the councillor and his colleagues take up the challenge to 'bring towel, soap and gel and take a shower' in the dilapidated old wooden building at this popular sports ground. To his credit, Cllr Anderson, has taken urgent steps following recent criticism, to have the changingroom buildings not only at Warriston but at other venues throughout the city both cleaned up and painted. Double Hedges is another place that has undergone painting and sprucing up. The Exectuive Member has also been extremely busy in attending meetings of clubs recently and also in his position in Edinburgh City Council where he is in charge of sport. Huge sums of money are being channelled in to erecting new buildings at various places throughout the city. His next major 'challenge' however, will come at Warriston Playing Fields next month, when hundreds of young primary school footballers will be in action in the major cup events organised by Edinburgh Primary Schools Sports Association cup convenor, the imcomparable Jim Goodwillie. This 72-year-old wonderful role model in primary school football will possibly be overwhelmed to see councillors turning up at this ground. It will in every sense, be a 'rare sighting' indeed for Mr Goodwillie, who has made Warriston Playing Fields in to haven for primary school footballers for as long as I can remember. He does this with the help of volunteers and the two groundsmen who are in attendance each week. This special day next month at Warriston is not only a challenge to Cllr Anderson, but to all other politicians both local and national to make it a day to remember for the kids - also Jim Goodwillie, Mike Barry, Charlie McNamara, et al! ' Come on down and make their day! Cllr Anderson has already stated he intends turning up, but he has declined the offer to take a shower! What a picture that would have made!
DALMORE BC U12'S(born 1995) are looking for experienced players to strengthen there squad in all areas of the park but in need of defenders. if interested then call scott on 0131 467 6406 for further details. trials will be in place.
Civil Service Strollers (CSS) under-9s require players (born 1998) to form a larger U9s squad in which to create a further team. Interested children can attend an U9s Open Day on Sunday, December 17, 9.45am-noon, at the CSS Sports Grounds, Marine Drive, Granton, Edinburgh. The Open Day will involve a number of training routines and small-sided football matches. For further information (including accessibility to other age groups), please contact Craig Stewart on 07855 361 365.
Happy to discuss any queries or concerns you may have over the content of my advert and/or the fact that I wish this advert to run up to 17 December. I would be happy to discuss any costs that may be associated to such a requirement.
HUTCHISON Vale, winners of the Tesco U13 Cup at Bolton last season, have been invited to a reception at the Scottish Parliament on Thursday at 6.00pm. Gary McGrotty, one of the officials with this brilliant squad of young footballers that beat representatives from all over Britian in the finals at Bolton, said: "The Team's achievements are to be reconignised at a presentation by Patricia Ferguson MSP, Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport, to take place at the Scottish House of Parliament on Thursday, November 23, at 6.00pm. At last, some recognition for the Hutchison Vale Under 13 team who, last season, beat all-comers in Britain to lift the inaugural Tesco British Cup!"
LOTHIAN Schools Senior Select will host Dundee in the second of their group ties in the Scottish Schools National Trophy at Hallhill in Dunbar on Thursday, November 23, at 6.30pm.
Another month has gone by and no further information on this issue. Surely someone has been out by now to have a look and advise us. I feel that all that is happening is the council buying time in the hope that I give up and the issue goes away. Rest assured, I'll carry on. Even after I receive the inevitable reply I'm expecting - that it will not be cost efficient to upgrade the park - I'm going to carry on. We need to have more pitches available as well as habitable changing facilities!!!
Tom Aitchison, Chief Executive, Edinburgh City Council.
Scottish Swimming have appointed Iproduct as their new website agency. While the transfer of server is underway, there may be one or two technical hitches, which could affect news items on the front page.
Apologies for any confusion this may cause. We hope that any problems will cause minimal disruption and look forward to Iproduct taking the site forward and improving the navigation and downloads section as a priority.
Anyone who would like further details of the Athletics Club for Athletes with Disabilities should contact Stephen Duff at the Sports Development Office on 01875 619068.
THE Powerleague in Portobello is launching a promotion to attract grass-roots football clubs to use their 5-a-side football pitches at affordable rates. Launching the promotion, Powerleague spokesperson, Bryan Robertson, said: "The promotion is to provide reduced rate pitches to youth clubs and schools in Edinburgh and surrounding areas. I realise that teams struggle to get facilities at affordable prices and am aware that this is in the limelight at the moment and I would like teams to be aware that they can hire affordable facilties with ourselves. We also provide opportunities for teams to use our function rooms for presentation days/nights, fundraiser nights etc and offer discounted use of our disco/ race night to help raise funds for youth teams. When I worked for Powerleague previously at Sighthill we ran a few promotions like this on a smaller scale. I know clubs/schools will be interested as I coached on a voluntary capacity for ten years so understand the struggle for affordable facilties for youth teams and school teams!
"The contact number for anyone wanting more details is 0131-669 2266 if you want to discuss things further. We are providing teams the chance to use pitches from £15 at both our venues."
I have been to Double Hedges and then to Meggetland. I am so upset at the state of the first place for football and then the other for Boroughmuir Rugby Club that I will have to take time to think what I am going to write. Whoever the councillors are who got Boroughmuir Rugby Club the faciliites they now have at Meggetland, should be the subject of a police investigation in to the blatant misuse of power, influence and also the dispersal of public funds for the benefit of a private rugby club. I thought the elitism, favouritism and cronyism was bad before, but having seen for myself, today, the difference in attitude and funding, or lack of it, for minor-grade/community football and private rugby clubs is worse than I thought. That this should be allowed to happen by a Labour administration is incomprehensible to me.
HUNDREDS of kids representing towns and regions from throughout Scotland will descend on Meadowmill in East Lothian on Saturday, November 25, for the finals of the Scottish Primary Schools Inter-Association tournament. One of the organisers of this massive event for primary school kids, Craig McDermott, said: "Six of the top select/association teams meet to ''battle it out'' in the finals of this prestigious event for priimary school select sides. Confirmed into the finals are two squads from Edinburgh and and another from East Lothian, with three more to follow from Dundee, Paisley, East Ayrshire, Dumfries & Galloway and South Clydeside. In all, there will be 60 of the top P7 players from all of Scotland, representing their respective areas. Games kick off at 11.00am and the event will be finished by 13.30pm."
This tournament will be yet another wonderful example of what can be done to promote the game in this 'third world' football nation of ours. Meadowmill has the space and quality of changingrooms for the kids to use and the fact this venue can also supply food and refreshments to what could be a massive turnout of parents is an added bonus. Even better for everyone, is the provision of modern, clean and hygienic toilet facilities, something that is sadly lacking in Edinburgh at the present time, although urgent steps have been initiatied by Councillor Donald Anderson, the Executive Member for Sport, Recreation and Tourism in Edinburgh City Council, to update many of the appalling council-owned facilities in the Capital. This concerned councillor has taken swift and decisive action to allow urgent work to be done on the worst of these facilities, following a recent meeting with representatives from youth football clubs in the Prison Officers Social Club.
Sport England announced that more than 1000 projects – over three times as many anticipated at the start of the scheme – have benefited from the Community Club Development Programme (CCDP). CCDP is a collaboration between Sport England, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and National Governing Bodies of Sport (NGBs). Following its success, the programme has been extended for a further two years with an additional £40 million of funding and now includes three new sports: boxing, golf and squash.
Richard Caborn, Minister for Sport, said: "The Community Club Development Programme has been a true success and demonstrates the pivotal role that good quality sports provision has for the community. Not only is it vital for the support and development of young talent beyond the school grounds, it is also key to getting people active and tackling obesity. From pitch improvements to new clubhouses, the extension of the Community Clubs Development Programme shows our absolute commitment to programmes and facilities giving local communities a wide range of sporting options so everybody has the chance to get involved in sport."
The programme assists NGBs to identify capital projects for investment. They then work in partnership with Sport England to ensure the projects are delivered. The aim is to increase participation in sport via club membership for all and to assist in creating a sustainable and financially viable sports club infrastructure in England. Projects ranging from new indoor pitch provision, restoration of clubhouses, creation of new playing fields, and the installation of floodlights, to the modernisation of cycling tracks and new synthetic pitches, have been supported. Awards of between £5,000 and £950,000 were provided over the successful 2003-6 period. Additional funding for 2006-2008 was secured through the Chancellor’s Comprehensive Spending Review Exchequer Fund. In 2002, £60 million was secured for CCDP - £20 million from the Government’s Capital Modernisation Fund (CMF) and £40 million from the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) - and was initially intended to allow for a total of approximately 250–300 projects. 1000 projects have now been supported, far exceeding this original target, with Sport England working in close collaboration with the NGBs, including the Football Association, Lawn Tennis Association, English and Wales Cricket Board, Rugby Football Union and Amateur Swimming Association.
major investment into improving and updating facilities over the last couple of years.
will act to reassure Centre users of the high quality facilities and service on offer."
refurbishment of the toilets, installation of lifts, improvement to signage and excellent levels of cleanliness.
which has helped to improve safety and accessibility.
fantastic reward for all our hard work in improving and carrying out maintenance at the Centre over the last two years.
As there are very few four star activity centres in Edinburgh and the Lothians, it's a really significant achievement.
I must thank the Centre staff for two years of hard work."
Midlothian Snowsports Centre is situated in the beautiful Pentland Hills Regional Park.
chairlift ride to admire stunning views across Edinburgh and the Lothians.
The Centre boasts the longest, steepest and most challenging dry slope in Europe.
You can also see the action and team pictures taken at games/events on both publications, but the full file can be viewed on The Pink. Also, an extension to The Pink has been set up, dedicated to other sports. This is called The Pink2. If you are involved in sports, other than football, you can contribute copy and pictures by contacting Ian Mackay on mackayian@blueyonder.co.uk. Call up the site and see what you think of this new publication. It is a not-for-profit initiative by Craig Campbell, who designed and manages the website, and Ian Mackay, who contributes copy and pictures for Local Heroes in the Evening News. His phone number is 0131-539 0315. You are welcome to call him. This new publication is open to everyone, throughout Scotland. If you want to publicise your league/sport, contribute copy direct by email on mackayian@blueyonder.co.uk.
ALL officials in Hutchison Vale Football Club will be easily identifiable from now on and they will all wear identification tags containing a picture and other information such as their respective positions within the club, their Disclosure Scotland number and other details. This move is designed to help players recognise and get to know the 50 officials in the club and give the young footballers the confidence to know who they are speaking too at games and functions. This idea was first mooted by Hutchison Vale club leader, Tom Smith, and Les Trotter. They have wasted no time, either, in putting it in to practice, with Les Trotters identification tag hanging around his neck on a cord in the club colours. The name tag is easily seen and read and this idea, which is a follow up to the Disclosure Scotland clearance that every person connected to youth club football is required to have before working with kids, is something that could, possibly, be introduced in every organisation dealing with kids, not only football, but in every other sport and activity. Speaking at the launch of the scheme, 49-year-old Mr Trotter, said: "There are so many people involved with Hutchison Vale now. It is important that all the kids know who is an official in the club and also know who they are speaking to. A lot of information is on the identification tags, including the picture, name and details of the position within the club of each person wearing one. Every club official will in future be required to wear one of these identification documents. If the official has first aid qualifications, a green cross will also appear on the card. Tom Smith asked me to do this and he feels it is paramount in helping the kids in the club feel safe and also to have someone in authority within the club if they have to seek their help."
In the present climate surrounding the protection of children, this move by Hutchison Vale can be seen as a further move in the right direction and is an idea that could and should be taken up by all other youth football clubs in Scotland. By wearing these identification tags, it could also help referees at games when they have to ask for help from club officials - if the idea is copies by others. This form of identification of all youth football club officials would promote good discipline at a time when aggressive and violent behaviour is causing major problems for the game at grass-roots level.
A new look FC Westfield took to the field in a First Division match against Pavilion in Loanhead and secured their first points of the season. Midfielder Neill Porterfield opened the scoring when he crashed a 25 yard shot in off the underside of the crossbar and his second goal soon followed with a low shot from the edge of the box. Striker Neil Kippie added a third after the advancing 'toon keeper was second to the ball, leaving an empty net to make the score 3-0 at half time.
keeper. A mix up in the Westfield defence allowed Darren Allen to make it 4-2 but some good work from Neil Kippie was cleverly finished off by Graham Mackenzie to restore the three-goal lead. A defensive error allowed 'Toon to score a late third goal through a Allen penalty for his sixth goal of the season, but the match finished 5-3 to FC Westfield and a precious three points.
Brig Inn met the Pavilion at the Gyle in a sporting match that only saw it's first goal just before the break. Steven Branley put the visitors one ahead after forty minutes and they built up their control in the second half by adding two further goals from Jambo Stevenson and Julles Anderson.
In the Second Division, AC Peffermill also extended their 100% record with a convincing 6-1 victory over Whispers at Peffermill. First half goals from leading goalscorer Graeme Roberts (photo attached - 11 goals in five games), Andy Fenwick and John McLeod put Peffermill 3-0 at half time but even though Daniel Rowley pulled one back for Whispers, further strikes from Fenwick, Chris Baldwin and Gavin Thompson sealed the 6-1 victory. With an impressive 42 goals in five games this season, Peffermill have started the season at a great pace but they are being closely followed by Outhouse, who won 6-2 against Roseburn Athletic and the league new boys Roslin Da Vinci, who trounced Sam's Bar 5-1. In 4th place, the Anvil kept up the pace with a 3-1 victory over Lothian Star Gordon Blyth was on target for Lothian.
John Sutherland (picture attached) scored his 7th goal in three games to earn Fa'side Bluebell a draw against Leith Persevere Bar at Silverknowes, who levelled through Marc Cummings.
In the Premier Division, Cramond Star hold on to top spot but a goal from John Morgan secured three points for the Dasher in their match against Sparta and move the Prestonpans team into 4th spot.
No games in the ESAFA tomorrow due to the Edinburgh holiday but there is a full fixture list on 24 September, including the 1st Round of the Scottish Cup.
A sight to gladden the heart of politicians worried about obesity, etc, among young children, was on display at Warriston Playi ng Fields with hundreds of young footballers and their families out in force to mark the start of a new season in primary schools football in Edinburgh. The sun was blazing down on the lovely grassy pitches which housed the games taking place. But, apart from the two groundsmen present at Warriston, everything else is run by volunteers. As is the pattern, and has been for as long as I can remember, Jim Goodwillie (72) was out organising everything in his usual immaculate way with an army of volunteers from primary schools helped by parents in putting up and then taking away the goals. It was a heart-lifting occasion in the social life of hundreds of people - as long as they kept their attention on the games and not let it stray to the appalling sight of the vandalised old pavilions and the quite awful current state of the abandoned and derelict old tennis courts. Life has moved on immeasurably for all of us in the past 50 years, but not at Warriston Playing Fields. This place is in a virtual time-warp. It is virtually the same now as it was 50 years ago, possibly, much worse! Vandals almost caused a boy at the venue on Saturday to suffer serious injury by moving the heavy metal top to a drainage system, causing a young player to fall down the gaping hole. Fortunately, the boy was not seriously hurt, but it left Mr Goodwillie with the added work of having to prepare a report for the education authorities based at Waterloo Place. It is quite staggering to be told time after time that no one from the education department or, indeed, from the schools taking part, attend the football games at Warriston. I thought this form of sports activity is an extension of school work! At high school level, teachers are actively involved but, not, it appears in primary school football. But when it comes to 'dereliction of duty' there is nothing to match the appalling lack of interest and care by paid-officials of public-owned sports facilities in Edinburgh. The situation at Warriston is shocking and whoever is responsible for this place and others, such as at Duddingston and the worst of them all, Double Hedges, is open to a charge of 'criminal negligence of public-owned property'! Some one, or some group, must take the blame for what is happening, or hot happening, in the maintenance of sports grounds in this city. And they should be made to answer for their negligence to the citizens of Edinburgh. I have been involved in grass-roots sports all my life and for more than 20 years, reporting on games and events for the Evening News. In that time, however, I have to admit the facilities are worse now than ever before - and that includes public parks in the capital city of Scotland. At a recent launch of a major coaching initiative by the Bank of Scotland, officials in this city chose Craigroyston High School for the publicity-seeking launch. This school has no grass football pitches with a new school building now situated on the ground that formerly housed two excellent football pitches. Craigroyston High School pupil, James Anthony (15) pointed this out to First Minister, Jack McConnell, and was told: "I'll speak to you on your own, later!" I was excluded from the discussion that followed. In an attempt to find out what the pupils who attended this launch thought of all the gratuitous utterances from politicians and representatives from the SFA on the subject of sport at grass-roots level, I have emailed acting head teacher, Jacky Burnett, on two occasions, asking permission to interview the group of her pupils, but I am still awaiting an answer. I also spoke to new Edinburgh City Council leader, Ewen Aitken, at the launch and I am still waiting to hear from him too when the meeting with him he promised me at the City Chambers will take place. That meeting is to discuss my views on the state of facilities for grass-roots football and all other sports in the city I love. Edinburgh, in my opinion, is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, but it also one of the worst places in Scotland for facilities, not only venues for games in all sports, but in changing facilities. At a recent meeting with SFA Regional Manager for South East Scotland, Michael Sharp, and others interested in the formation of a new SFA-approved league structure, the problem of lack of good, modern, hygienic and civilsed facilities in Edinburgh was raised on several occasions. It does not compare, apparently, with venues in East Lothian, Mid Lothian and West Lothian. But, enough is enough, I feel. The dangerous situation at Warriston and other places I visit cannot be allowed to go on unchallenged and I invite all those interested (and sufficiently worried) at the worsening situation in Edinburgh to contact me on mackayian@blueyonder.co.uk to set up a protest group to challenge politicians and others responsible for the welfare and safety of young people in this city. It has not escaped me that Glasgow (not Scotland) is bidding to host a future Commonwealth Games. Millions of pounds of public money will be spent on promoting this showpiece that would, effectively, give politicians, civil servants and others too many to mention, to claim the high ground and flaunt themselves in front of a gullible public. But, surely, the money and the £31m allegedly being given to the SFA by the Scottish Executive, would be better spent on the provision of facilities that would enable young people to take part in sport in a safe environment, not in potentially dangerous places such as Warriston Playing Fields, Double Hedges, Duddingson, Sighthill, Seafield, etc, etc. Come on, everyone. Elections are coming up next year, let us all speak up as one, for the young people of this city being deprived of modern, hygienic and civilsed facilities. In February last year, the East Football Project was launched in Edinburgh. It is currently being run by a committee of volunteers, under the chairmanship of John McKenzie (Cavalry Park). Eighteen months on, progress is very slow and the latest statement from the group said: "The project has been awarded a grant of £5,000 under the council's small grants scheme. That leaves us a couple of thousand short of the amount required to meet the cost of the business plan but we are hopeful of solving that quickly. We would expect the business planning to start very soon therefore. I know you are in the midst of highlighting the facilities at Warriston. It would be good to have a concerted public 'finger pointing' as we move through the business planning stage to bring the project right back up the agenda!" And who will come out and take the blame for what is happening in Edinburgh? Don't hold your breath waiting for an answer! Possibly, we all share the blame for keeping silent for so long!
THE Pink2 is up and running now, to add to the coverage of sport at grass-roots level in Edinburgh and beyond already provided by The Pink. This gives everyone the chance to contribute match reports of whatever sport they are involved in as well as sending pictures by email to mackayian@blueyonder.co.uk or getintothem@hotmail.com Les Trotter manages the new Pink2 site and he is including a link to so many different sports, many of them from the Scottish HQs of these sports. Also, a link with European football among other things. This is to make The Pink2 in to an even better read and a more exciting publication that will give those who visit the site the chance to read about so many sports other than football. The opportunities are endless and this publication along with the hugely popular, The Pink, gives business people, such as those who run bus companies and sports-orientated retail companies the chance to advertise on the pages. We are also looking for sponsorship of pages, for a full year if possible. If any business person or even the Lothian NHS Board would like to advertise on these pages which are so widely read by young people, get in touch with thepink@blueyonder.co.uk or lesflotrotter@hotmail.com. Alternatively, inquires can be sent to mackayian@blueyonder.co.uk or on getintothem@hotmail.co.uk These two publications are not-for-profit ventures and are aimed at promoting and publicising sport at community level and beyond as well as encouraging young people to take an active interest in sport that will benefit their health and improve their life-style. Craig Campbell manages The Pink which is dedicated to grass-roots football, while Les Trotter has taken on the other huge responsibility of looking after The Pink2. The three of us are voluntary workers in this field, although I work as a freelance sports journalist from home. Other ventures which these publications support are the East Football Project, the formation of a new league structure that would give youth clubs with under-21 squads the chance to take them on past that age group in to a Senior League in the South East Region of Scotland. This league is under discussion at the present time with SFAof this area Regional Manager, Michael Sharp. A visit to the City Chambers to meet Councillor Donald Anderson is also being set up to discuss the opportunity to take a leading role in an International Youth Football Tournament in Edinburgh next summer. If anyone wants to learn more about any of these projects for young people, contact Ian Mackay on 0131-539 0315. With best wishes to all volunteers and business people with an interest in the welfare and happiness of young people. Help us to encourage young people to 'be the best they can be' in life! Your help will be very much appreciated. Tell us about your sport/game/event and we will give it maximum publicity. From Ian Mackay, 23 Wester Broom Place, Edinburgh EH12 7RS. Telephone 0131-539 0315.