The Citizen - Issue 3 - 2023

MANAGER

ALAN MAYBURY

Good evening, everybody.

We have a huge task ahead of us tonight against Ross County, who kept their Premiership status in a Play-off just a few weeks ago. I know Malky Mackay very well, and his advice has been a great help to me in my coaching career. It will be good to test ourselves against one another.

Ross County have been playing at the top level of the Scottish game for pretty much the last ten years. The side has plenty of ability, as well as physical presence. I saw them play Greenock Morton, however, and Morton tested them at times. We are going to try to do the same, and to be positive. We aim to set up to win every game. So far as our squad goes, we are a bit behind where we want to be. We are working hard in the background to secure players, but we are still aiming to strengthen in a number of key positions. The early start to the season works against teams like ourselves, and on matchdays we need to fill up the team with young boys while we recruit a squad. We were lucky in that regard last season, but this year we have already suffered injury problems as well as Innes Murray being sent off at Stranraer. The Kelty game saw us lose Ben Stirling, possibly

for a few weeks, with a tweaked hamstring; but on the positive side Robbie Leitch is now on the field and we can expect to see Callum Crane, Liam Fontaine and even Ouzy See in coming games. We should have beaten Kelty – three up in twenty minutes and that should have been four. It was a crazy match, but that middle thirty minutes killed us and we threw away the points. Stranraer was a good old-fashioned game with lots of balls over the top, and we looked good – but it’s a pity about that late error in a match in which we should have been out of sight.

We need to continue to improve and tonight is another good test for us and one to which we are looking forward.

Enjoy the game,

CHAIRMAN

JOHN DICKSON

Good evening and welcome once again to Meadowbank Stadium, for matchday three of the group stage of the Viaplay Cup. And to the first-ever meeting between ourselves and Ross County.

There is always excitement in the air when a Premiership side visits us, and we have been looking forward to testing ourselves against Malky Mackay’s side since the draw was made. Having won their opening games, they appear in fine form, so we must be up to the challenge from the first minute tonight. I look forward to welcoming CEO Steven Ferguson and his committee to Meadowbank this evening.

Our opening group matches have not produced the results we had hoped for. In both ties, however, we had opportunities which, if taken, could have seen us come away with positive results. We still have points and positions in the group to play for, and with that, the potential for additional prize money, so this is far from a dead rubber for us. The group stages have produced some shocks already this season, and it would a great boost ahead of our trip to Greenock on Saturday if we could spring a surprise ourselves tonight. That said, we are building for the start of the cinch League 1 campaign – now less than two weeks away – by which time our mini-injury crisis should have passed! It has been encouraging to see the positivity that has surrounded the return of the Edinburgh City identity, and we are hopeful of

another good crowd tonight, given the excellent turnout against Kelty last week. I am also delighted that we have had so much interest commercially in player sponsorship, and also support for our SWF and Development sides, as they too build towards the starts of their new seasons.

The next time I write, we will be hosting Queen of the South on 12th August, and by then we will hopefully have finished strongly in the group section, and got off to a positive start against Stirling Albion at Forthbank. Never an easy place to go, we will once more have to be on our toes, given that the Binos will be unfurling the cinch League 2 championship flag on opening day.

It’s never easy, but then things that are worthwhile take hard work to achieve: and I know Alan and the players will be pulling out all the stops to get back to winning ways.

Enjoy the game everyone!

Yours in sport,

WELCOME TO MEADOWBANK

Good evening ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to Meadowbank Stadium for our third fixture of the 2023/24 season. Our guests tonight in this Viaplay Cup tie are Premiership side Ross County, and a special welcome to them and their players, coaches, officials and supporters – this will be the first time our two clubs have met. We look at Ross County in more detail starting on page 13 of tonight’s Citizen, while on pages 32-34 we examine in more detail the progression of the Staggies from a pretty good Highland League side

to one of Scotland’s top clubs. We hope that you enjoy a great evening’s football, and have a safe journey home.

Two matches played to date, and Edinburgh City have won neither of them; but we are certainly not in a crisis situation. This has happened before. Ten years ago our competitive season started on 10th August with a Lowland League match with Spartans. This season’s opener was on 19th July for Edinburgh City, and only due to the vagaries of the Viaplay Cup draw; 32 clubs started their 2023/24 campaign on Saturday 15th July.

■ The starting line-up, pictured before last week’s match with Kelty Hearts (Picture Tommy Lee Photography).

NEWS AND COMMENT

With the close season shrinking so rapidly we were able to fit in only a couple of friendlies, hardly enough to work the kinks out of the players’ legs. An ideal pre-season would let new players to get used to working together, and for the gaffer to try out new tactics and player combinations. Using the First Round group stage games as surrogate training matches is hardly treating the League Cup with the respect that the competition merits, but clubs at our level have no choice. Players are already constricted with regard to their holiday dates and other summer activities.

And from the point of view of the club the Viaplay Cup (as it still is,

although not for much longer) is a very welcome source of income at the start of the season. If we finish fifth in the group Edinburgh City will get £24,000 sponsorship money, but if we had been in a non-qualifying second position, that would have risen to £32,000. It is technically possible, at the time of writing, for us to win Group D, but I can exclusively reveal that the Board haven’t spent any of that cash yet. The dreary trek to Stranraer is done with, and we won’t have to reprise it this season unless we draw the Blues in one of the other cups. In fact, there is now a bypass at Maybole which opened in 2022, which has cut journey times quite a bit.

■ Busting some moves at Stair Park at the weekend.

AND COMMENT

We mention the Stranraer match on page 38 of tonight’s Citizen, with the full match report coming in the Queen of the South programme. Innes Murray’s two yellow cards are regrettable, but we won’t lose him for any League game. More ominous are the injuries which are already starting to make their appearance. Innes Murray and Ben Stirling both suffered knocks against Kelty Hearts, although Innes was able to play on Saturday. I hope the Gaffer has some good news for us on page 3 as regards Ben. Was the Kelty match as much of a disaster as it first seemed? To be three goals up in twenty minutes and then lose 5-3 doesn’t happen very often, but it’s not unprecedented. We did almost exactly the same thing to Alloa Athletic in November last year, and they finished in a Play-off spot. The fact that we could score three goals in the first 20 minutes

of the season is a warming one, and no doubt Alan Maybury is working with the players to eliminate those errors which bedevilled the middle third of the game. The ones we can control, anyway. I’m not convinced that Danny Handling should have been penalised in the incident which led to us losing the fourth goal, and certainly the free kick should not have been taken while the ball was still rolling.

Once again the new strip didn’t appear at Stranraer; looks like it will be for the start of the cinch League 1 season. Just a reminder that from the Queen of the South match going forward, our usual League prices of £11 (all adults) and £6 (ages 5-18) will apply. Your season tickets, the cheapest in the SPFL, become valid from this match, as well. As always, season tickets will not apply for Cup fixtures, prices for which are agreed by the competing sides.

TEAMLINES

19 July 2023:

VIAPLAY CUP

Edinburgh City 3-5 Kelty Hearts

Edinburgh City: 1. Sam Ramsbottom, 2. Kieran MacDonald, 4. Lee Hamilton, 5. Scott Mercer , 7. Robbie Mahon (Macnamara 77), 10. Danny Handling (capt), 13. Kyle Jacobs, 17. Russell McLean, 20. Ben Stirling (Brian 44), 23. Innes Murray (Mair 79), 25. Quinn Mitchell.

Substitutes: 8. Robbie Leitch, 21. Cammy Quate, 22. Ciarán Brian, 26. Struan Mair, 28. Cai Macnamara, 30. Callum Crane.

Scorers: Johnston (27) and (49), Daramola (42) and (45+3), Cunningham (54).

Kelty Hearts: 1. Kyle Gourlay, 2. Adam Corbett, 4. Tam O’Ware (capt), 5. Jason Thomson, 7. Tiwi Daramola , 8. Reece Lyon, 9. Craig Johnston (Biabi 74), 10. Ross Cunningham (Moore 65), 11. Stefan McCluskey , 12. Michael Tidser , 17. Billy Owens.

Substitutes: 14. Botti Biabi, 15. Lewis Owens, 20. Liam Campbell, 21. Scott Cameron, 22. Finlay Shearer, 23. Lewis Moore.

Scorers: Johnston (27) and (49), Daramola (42) and (45+3), Cunningham (54).

Referee: Colin Whyte

Assistant Referees: Steven Wilson and Kyle Hall

Attendance: 426

22 July 2023:

VIAPLAY CUP

STRANRAER 2-1 EDINBURGH CITY

Stranraer: 1. Martin McDonald, 2. Scott Robertson, 4. Kyle Girvan, 5. Craig Ross, 7. Ben Armour, 9. Tam Orr, 11. James Dolan, 14. Dean Hawkshaw (Hughes 65), 16. Dylan Forrest , 18. Kyle Fleming, 22. Sean McIntosh (capt.)

Substitutes: 6. Ben Hughes, 13. George O’Connor, 15. Scott Agnew, 21. Carter McKane, 24. Connor Phillips.

Scorer: Armour (38), Orr (penalty 79).

Edinburgh City: 1. Sam Ramsbottom, 2. Kieran MacDonald (Mitchell 46), 4. Lee Hamilton , 5. Scott Mercer, 7. Ryan

Shanley, 10. Danny Handling (capt), 11. Robbie Mahon (Mair 77), 13. Kyle Jacobs, 17. Russell McLean, 22. Ciarán Brian (Leitch 61), 23. Innes Murray

Substitutes: 8. Robbie Leitch, 20. Brodie Devine, 21. Cammy Quate, 25. Quinn Mitchell, 26. Struan Mair, 28. Gwang-Rwad Peter.

Scorers: Shanley (49).

Referee: Ross Hardie

Assistant Referees: Ross Nelson and Michael MacDermid

Attendance: 292

Booking Sent off

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WELCOME TO ROSS COUNTY

This would appear to be the first occasion on which Ross County have visited Meadowbank Stadium in any of its guises – the Staggies played Meadowbank Thistle in the Scottish Cup but that was played at Victoria Park, and Livingston moved to Almondvale Stadium a few weeks before they were due to host County in a Third Division fixture. The nearest Edinburgh City have come to Dingwall is crossing the Cromarty Bridge on the way to Scottish Cup or Play-Off ties at Wick Academy, Golspie Sutherland and Brora Rangers.

Ross County were formed in 1929 when a local Junior team, Dingwall Victoria United, applied successfully for a place in the Highland League in place of

Black Watch, who were being posted to Colchester. They took the name of an earlier Ross County team, a rugby side formed in 1876 who converted to the Association game in 1887. The original Ross County were founder members of the Highland League in 1893 but withdrew in November of that year. The club would remain members of the Highland League from 1929 to 1994. For many years they jogged along in midtable, picking up the occasional local trophy, but in the mid-1960s County really started to make their mark. In the 1965/66 Scottish Cup they eliminated Forfar and Alloa to set up a tie with Rangers, and although they lost that game 0-2 at Dingwall they made a lot of new friends.

Edinburgh City F.C. Hospitality Partners

How to find us:

The Best Taproom in Scotland

Stadium

Lower London Road

Greenend Motors

Bellfield Brewery

Stanley Place

Taylor Place

WELCOME TO ROSS COUNTY

On pages 32-34 we look at the people and events which led to Ross County, League newcomers in 1994/95, having spent eleven of the last 12 seasons in the top division of Scottish football.

Although last season it looked as though the Staggies were at risk of dropping back into the Championship, for the first time since 2018. Ten players had left the Global Energy Stadium during the close season, including three of their leading goalscorers, and the club could not maintain the consistency necessary to keep them away from the bottom three. At the split Ross County were bottom of the League with 27 points from 33 matches, four points behind both Dundee United and Kilmarnock, and five matches to play.

United had peeled themselves off the foot of the table through wins over Motherwell and Livingston, but they had a post-split nightmare, losing all five matches; two wins and a draw were enough to hoist Ross County into eleventh spot and give them a chance to avoid relegation via the Play-offs. Partick Thistle finished fourth in the Championship but they thumped the two sides above them, Queen’s Park and Ayr United, to earn an opportunity of returning to the Premiership for the first time since 2018.

The first leg of the Play-off final was at Firhill on Thursday 1st June 2023 and Thistle won 2-0 in front of a crowd of 7291, the goals coming from Aidan Fitzpatrick and Brian Graham. The epic second leg was in Dingwall on Sunday 4th June, and when just before

half-time Aidan Fitzpatrick put Thistle 3-0 ahead on aggregate, matters were looking bleak for the Staggies. But a second-half revival saw County pull two goals back in ninety seconds. First, Yan Dhanda hit a penalty in 71 minutes after VAR referee Greg Aitken noticed an infringement; and then Simon Murray scored from close range. Ross County’s comeback was complete when substitute George Harmon netted via the post in the nintieth minute, just as the fourth official signalled nine minutes of time to be added on.

The game went into extra time, where Partick had chances to snatch a winner, but the score was still 3-3 aftre the halfhour and it was time for the dreaded kicks from the penalty mark. Five kicks apiece and the score 4-4, the game went into sudden death. The nerves were showing. Bannigan hit the righthand post, Watson shot over. Laidlaw tipped Docherty’s low shot round the post, and Sims calmly blasted the ball past Mitchell for a 5-4 victory and at least one more season in the Premiership for the Staggies.

PREVIOUS MEETINGS

Usually on this page we talk about what happened on previous occasions we faced our opponents of the day, but that is not possible this evening because there ain’t been no previous occasions. Ross County are one of four SPFL sides who are strangers to us – the others being Celtic, Kilmarnock and Partick Thistle).

Our competitive record against the first teams of other members of the current cinch Premiership is as follows:

ABERDEEN

One meeting, in the 2021/22 Scottish Cup. We lost 0-3.

CELTIC

We have never met.

DUNDEE

1938/39 Division 2. Drew 3-3 at Dens Park, lost 1-4 at City Park.

HEARTS

Two meetings, East of Scotland Shield in 1942/43 and 1947/48. Lost 0-2 and 0-4 repectively.

HIBS

Ten meetings – four in the League, one in

the Scottish, three in the Shield and two in the City Cup. We won 2-1 in Division 2 in 1931/32 and 3-2 in the Scottish Cup in 1937/38; all the others were lost.

KILMARNOCK

We have never met.

LIVINGSTON

League Cup group stage meetings in 2016/17 and 2020/21, both at home. We lost 0-3 and 1-5 respectively.

MOTHERWELL

League Cup group stage encounters in 2017/18 (lost 1-2 at home) and 2018/19 (lost 0-5 away).

RANGERS

Scottish Cup first round tie in 1928/29. The score was 11-1. To Rangers.

ROSS COUNTY

We have never met.

ST JOHNSTONE

1931/32 Division 2. We lost 1-4 in Perth and 1-7 at home.

ST MIRREN

Two in 1935/36 Division 2 (won 3-2 home, lost 0-5 away) and League Cup group stage matches in 2016/17, 2019/20 and 2022/23: lost 0-3, 0-1 and 1-3 respectively.

THE CSC PODCAST IS BACK!

After a fourteen-month holiday, Edition 19 of the notorious CSC Podcast returns to terrify the airwaves, with presenters Ally Monkcastle, Neal Rooney and Boab Fallon discussing the current state of the Club, positivity, the co-opting of Mr Robert Fallon onto the Club Board as the Supporters’ Representative, Players of the Year, Love Island (yes, Love Island), farewells to departing players, and much more.

The CSC Podcast can be found on Spotify, Apple and other hosting sites –you can get links from CSC Twitter, @ClubCitizens

Robert Fallon can be contacted on Twitter @ECFCFanRep or email him at fansrep@edinburghcityfc.com

■ “The guilty men – Ally, Neal and Boab”

COMMENT

BIG GORDON McQUEEN

On a recent visit to my daughter’s house in darkest Dalkeith, I was heartened to see my 16-year-old granddaughter Hannah enjoying the sun in the back garden. She wasn’t lying incommunicado with a set of headphones stuck in her lugholes – rather she was engrossed in a good book. And not on one of these technically fangled Kindle things – it was an actual hardback book, leather bound with actual pages that required turning.

I was delighted to see Hannah has her ageing grandfather’s aptitude for reading. I had rather wished I had taken the book I’m presently engaged in – Alex Brown’s excellent Niddrie

Boys, an autobiographical tale of a lad of similar age to me growing up in Edinburgh’s Niddrie/Craigmillar area and the trials and tribulations he went through – with me to share Hannah’s reading experience but my four-yearold grandson Daniel would have surely scuppered that idea.

If you’re thinking this here column has turned into some kind of book review, please bear with me (get to the point –Ed). It was whilst reading Niddrie Boys that I heard the recent sad news of the passing of one of Scotland’s finest defenders – Gordon McQueen. There’s a chapter in Niddrie Boys where Alex Brown detailed his adventure to Wembley in 1977 to watch Scotland play

England in the bi-annual pilgrimage to old London town. In what were less technically operated times, Brown sneaked on a London-bound train without paying at Edinburgh’s Waverley Station and joined the thronging masses for the journey south. Brown regales us with the story that the train was so “rammed” as he puts it that there was next to no chance of any ticket inspector even attempting to check tickets of passengers, the number of whom far exceeded the capacity of the train. The Niddrie Boy then fell off the train at London King’s Cross and staggered his way to Wembley Stadium where he – and doubtless countless others – managed to climb into the stadium without paying.

Brown said he had a great view of Gordon McQueen heading home Scotland’s first goal. It was one of those goals you never forget and never tire of seeing. The towering figure of a Scots warrior, leaping above a hapless English defender, his mop of blonde hair straddled over his head which bulleted the ball past England goalkeeper Ray Clemence. McQueen then ran to soak up the acclaim of an adoring Scottish support, given another shot of adrenaline just as the effects of copious amounts of alcohol was beginning to wear off. That Scotland team of 1977 had the fans daring to believe. McQueen was a tower of strength at the back while the genius that was Kenny Dalglish, wing wizardry of Willie Johnston and the power of striker Joe Jordan were huge contributions to a team that was genuinely considered by some to be among the best nations in Europe. After all, hadn’t Scotland eliminated reigning European Champions Czechoslovakia from the qualifying group for the World Cup finals in Argentina the following year?

Dalglish scored a second Scotland goal in the second half before England pulled back a late goal. The Scots won

2-1 and thousands of them – including Alex Brown – poured on to the hallowed Wembley turf before demolishing the old stadium. Bits of Wembley turf and goalposts are still to be found all over Scotland to this day. My favourite tale from that afternoon was from manager Ally MacLeod. Before Wembley, the ebullient Ally wasn’t quite as well-known down south as he was in his homeland. MacLeod struggled to get back to the dressing rooms after the game and with panic setting in amongst what little security there was – the 1970s were different times, dear reader –MacLeod had difficulty persuading one of the security staff that he was indeed the Scotland manager. As MacLeod himself put it – “eventually I made it to the sanctuary of the dressing room and found goalkeeper Alan Rough in the bath – with two Scotland supporters…”

The tragic passing of McQueen brought memories of that day flooding back for me and, unquestionably, thousands of others. In later years, McQueen became a summariser for Sky Sports and his reaction in the studio whilst watching James McFadden score an absolute screamer for Scotland against France in Paris in 2007 became iconic. McQueen did well not to lapse into a sweary rejoice when he shouted “Goaaaaaaallll!” although the presenter’s subsequent question of “who for, Gordon?” was the definition of the term pointless. There was sadly something symmetrical about reading author Alex Brown’s account of that day whilst hearing about McQueen’s death, attributed to the effects of dementia, aged just 70. The footage of McQueen during his spells at Leeds United, Manchester United and, of course, Scotland means the great man will never be forgotten.

Thanks for the memories, big fella.

Twitter @Mike1874

www.thefitbason.com

RESULTS AND TEAMLINES 2023-24

Draw to be made SC3

21. 02 Dec Kelty Hearts (A) Lg

22. 09 Dec Stirling Albion (H) Lg

23. 16 Dec Queen of the South (A) Lg

24. 23 Dec Cove Rangers (A) Lg

25. 30 Dec Hamilton Academical (H) Lg

26. 06 Jan Alloa Athletic (A) Lg

27. 13 Jan Falkirk (H) Lg

28. 20 Jan Reserved date SC4

29. 27 Jan Annan Athletic (A) Lg

30. 03 Feb Kelty Hearts (H) Lg

31. 10 Feb Montrose (A) Lg

32. 17 Feb Queen of the South (H) Lg

33. 24 Feb Stirling Albion (A) Lg

34. 02 Mar Cove Rangers (H) Lg

35. 09 Mar Hamilton Academical (A) Lg

36. 16 Mar Alloa Athletic (H) Lg

37. 23 Mar Falkirk (A) Lg

38. 30 Mar Kelty Hearts (A) Lg

39. 06 Apr Montrose (H) Lg

40. 13 Apr Queen of the South (A) Lg

41.. 20 Apr Annan Athletic (H) Lg

42. 27 Apr Stirling Albion (H) Lg

43. 04 May Cove Rangers (A) Lg 12 - Starter 12 -

Contract Players

Under-20s

SNIPPETS THE RAMBLING REPORTER

A word of warning, folks. Our Rambling Reporter was in a contentious mood this week, and when you read his views you will probably see stuff you don’t agree with. I certainly don’t, and they can in no way be taken as representative of the views of anyone at Edinburgh City Football Club. They are just opinions, though, not anything like racism or any other form of hate speech. If you want to respond to this, or anything else in the programme, I will soon have an email address which will appear on the Club website as soon as possible. The Editor

Hiya, everyone. Welcome to another couple of pages of drivel loosely connected to all things football, based generally on my love and knowledge (eh?) of non-League football here in England. Here goes!

I’ll start by bringing you up to date with the second-ever FENIX Trophy. A quick word to those of you who have little or no idea to what I am referring. This is an annual competition, hopefully, amongst non-League clubs from around Europe. A sort of non-league Champions League, except:

A) The teams are specially invited for their closeness to their local community or some such thing

B) They haven’t won anything, far less the professional League of the country they represent. Yet.

This year’s tournament reached the semi-final stage where current holders FC United of Manchester played BK Skjold from Denmark. The other semi was between Trophy hosts, Italian side Brera FC, who met Prague Raptors from the Czech Republic. The first game finished 3-2 to the Danes, meaning there would be a new name on the cup this year, while the Raptors managed to overcome their hosts 2-0.

The final, played at Milan’s San Siro stadium, ended in a seemingly easy 3-0 win for BK Skjold, whilst, with the only goal in what was obviously a very tight game, FC United followed up last year’s title win with a commendable third place this time, leaving Brera FC in fourth. Time to look forward to next year’s tournament, which usually starts around November. Details can be found on the FENIX Trophy’s dedicated website, www.fenixtrophy.eu

Did you see on the BBC news the story of my local Conference League side, Gateshead, and their friendly with Dunston UTS of the Northern Premier League? This match was abandoned by the referee at half time when balaclavaclad men drove a HEARSE onto the pitch

SNIPPETS THE RAMBLING REPORTER

and started doing what are colloquially known as “donuts”, the wheels churning up the pitch.

The two men then started scattering leaflets all over the ground, apparently in protest at the ownership of the club, and promising further disruption until the people they named have left. The guys then got into a Subaru, which had followed the hearse onto the field of play, and drove off, leaving the hearse in the middle of the park.

Northumbria Police said it believed the men were known to each other – how they reached that conclusion, I’m blowed if I know – and that anyone involved would be “dealt with robustly”. Personally, I’m looking forward to the form of “further disruption” which could possibly top that!

The story is on the Newcastle Chronicle website at www.chroniclelive. co.uk/news/north-east-news/ gateshead-hearse-football-matcharrests-27377069

of the game which apparently had a record number of yellow cards, plus a red one (France v Jamaica); then there was a game in which two teammates had an altercation caused by a love triangle, which carried on in the players’ tunnel after full-time; and of course all the simulation which is going on. Sadly, followers of men’s football have been coarsened into accepting these things as being unremarkable, if not just part of the game; and now it’s appearing among the women as well. But if you introduce financial incentives into sport, things like this happen.

Now I’m not a fan of the Women’s World Cup. Personal opinion, it’s like watching a couple of under-13 sides play. You don’t agree? Let’s see a ladies’ side face, say, the under-17s team of a Premier League side. Who do you think would win? Would you put money on it? Top women players want similar money to the best men. Fair enough; when you attract into the game the same sponsorship money as men then we can talk. It’s like tennis. Play five sets, girls, then you can have the same cash.

While I’m on the subject, where are all the male commentators and pundits at this tournament? We can have women match officials, commentators and analysts in the men’s game. Eventually we may never see an all-male panel at an all-male game ever again. Will that work the other way around?

I suppose it would be rude of me not to at least mention the Women’s World Cup, and while I’m at it I can also get a usual gripe of mine off my chest. If you’ve been following it, which I sort of have and sort of haven’t, you might be aware

I’m sorry if this sounds misogynistic. It’s not. Equal pay for equal work, I say, but this is just ekow. (That’s “woke” in reverse).

MATCH REPORT

Edinburgh City 3 KELTY HEARTS 5

Viaplay Cup Round 1. Pictures by Tommy Lee Photography.

MATCH REPORT

Edinburgh City 3 KELTY HEARTS 5

As mentioned in my grumble in a previous page of tonight’s Citizen, the start of the competitive season now comes three weeks earlier than it did ten years ago – although, to be fair, we were a non-League club at that time. I suppose that it means we have fewer midweek matches during the darker evenings of the season; but it also means that part-time clubs are fielding, in a national competition, sides whose members have often only played alongside one another in training sessions.

This is a perennial problem for us. In our seven previous seasons in the competition we have only twice achieved the heights of third place in the Group stages – in 2018/19 and 2020/21. These were both good seasons for us in the end (Challenge Cup semi-finalists in the former and League 2 runners-up in the latter), but we didn’t start the season particularly well; it’s only when the gaffer assessed the situation and began

bringing in new players that we started making our mark in the most important competition, the League.

So, this defeat – and Saturday’s loss at Stranraer – are disappointing, but there is no need yet to start looking out the travel details to Caledonian Braves or Cumbernauld Colts. No part-time club can be complacent that we will not face relegation, but the way our seasons have panned out over the last few years suggest that we will start recording good results within a few matches. Even this Viaplay Cup-tie with Kelty had its good points, and if full-time had blown before the 25th minute it would have been a nigh-on perfect start to the season. It was, as so many games are, a game of three thirds. In the first halfhour City could do no wrong. Between thirty and sixty minutes we could do nothing but wrong, and the last half-hour of play was essentially stanching the flow and attempting to get back into the match.

Viaplay Cup Round 1. Pictures by Tommy Lee Photography.

MATCH REPORT

Edinburgh City 3 KELTY HEARTS 5

Viaplay Cup Round 1. Pictures by Tommy Lee Photography.

Eight of the team who started the Bonnyrigg friendly started this match. F ... bless me, what a start. Kelty actually had the first attack, a fast-passing move which foreshadowed some of the Maroons’ excellent play later in the game, but Lyons’ final shot was blocked by MacDonald. Moments later the roof fell in on Kelty. Four minutes, free-kick, 20 yards out. MacDonald’s initial kick is blocked, Murray puts the ball over the defenders; timing his run to perfection, Scott Mercer beats the offside and o heads the bouncing ball into the bottom right corner, way out of Gourlay’s reach. Seven minutes, and an attack from the back; Handling finds Russell McLean on the 18-yard line, who controls, turns and almost casually knocks a low shot

between two defenders and past the keeper. Hearts were still reeling when City made it three from a lightning-fast counterattack in the twentieth minute. O’Ware’s pass was intercepted by Stirling, Handling launched the attack, McLean found Murray whose shot was blocked by Gourlay’s leg, bur Russell McLean was racing in behind and his header put the ball into the bottom right-hand corner. Well, that’s about it for the action, apart from all those goals that Kelty scored –and I do have a bit of space on this page. In 27 minutes, following a defensive error the excellent Tiwi Daramola hit the bar, but Craig Johnston fired in the ricochet. Three minutes before the interval, from a City corner Tiwi Daramola secured ➤

Edinburgh City 3 KELTY HEARTS 5

the ball in his own penalty arc and took it all the way up the middle of the park, evading tackle after tackle before prodding the ball past Ramsbottom. And deep into time added on a Kelty goalkick looked to have been safely gathered by Hamilton, but his pass back to Ramsbottom was woefully short and Tiwi Daramola gleefully snapped it up before tapping the ball just inside the righthand post. From three clear goals ahead to all-square – and it didn’t get any

better in the second half. 49 minutes, a very soft foul was given against Handling outside the Kelty box, O’Ware lashed it up the park and Craig Johnston won the race and tipped a shot over Ramsbottom’s head. The visitors got their fifth and final goal in 54 minutesRoss Cunningham saw Ramsbottom off his line and his audacious shot from a yard into his own half sailed over the City keeper’s fingers.

Viaplay Cup Round 1. Pictures by Tommy Lee Photography.

ROSS COUNTY A BRIEF HISTORY (1994-Present)

There have been no meetings between the two clubs since County were elected to the SFL in 1994. However there very nearly was one, and in a cup final no less! County’s 2019 Challenge Cup Final victory over an extremely agricultural Connah’s Quay Nomads came after the Welsh side had beaten City on penalties at the semi-final stage. Ross County F.C. were elected to the then SFL in 1994 (along with some mongrelisation from the other side of the Kessock Bridge). Their first-ever Scottish League match was a 2-0 win away to Cowdenbeath, going on to finish a very respectable third in their debut SFL season under the management of Bobby Wilson (below). Finishes of fourth, third and third followed in the next three seasons as the club began to establish themselves in the national set-up, with the first steps being taken towards full-time football along the way – in the face of challenges recruiting players outside

the Central Belt, as demonstrated in this clip of the “Culbokie 7”: https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=uTE_y2NJNJw

The 1998/99 season memorably featured a Third Division title win, along with a League Cup run which featured victory at home to top flight Dundee United before more than matching Hearts at Tynecastle - County hitting the woodwork (twice) in a 1-1 draw, before going down 3-0 on penalties. As strange as a top EPL side scouting the Scottish fourth tier might sound today, Neil Tarrant’s 24 goals that season brought him to the attention of Aston Villa, who swooped for his signature for the princely sum of £250,000 - that Hearts game would prove to be the final appearance for the club for his strike partner Derek Adams (well, the final game to that point - this was far from the end of Del’s association with the club!), who himself secured a move to Motherwell. Second-top scorer that season behind Tarrant was ex-Hearts youngster (and a member of the Culbokie 7) Steven Ferguson - another one to whom we’ll refer back later!

Under former Aberdeen legend Neale Cooper, County followed up their title win with a further promotion the following season. Cooper famously operated something of a “revolving door” transfer policy - in the pre-social media age it was no surprise to pick up a team sheet at a game on a Saturday and see a brand new name or two on it. Indeed, in that Third Division titlewinning campaign, no fewer than 37 players were credited with at least one first team appearance! (source: the excellent staggiearchive.co.uk)

Consolidation in the First Division followed over the next few seasons, which also featured Rangers being given a couple of Cup scares in 2001mercurial Frenchman Karim Boukraa sparkled in a 2-3 Scottish Cup loss in February, before future SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell spurned a glorious chance to take November’s League Cup quarter final to extra time with a stoppage-time penalty that bore more resemblance to a backpass, such was its lack of venom and precision placement into the grateful arms of Stefan Klos. Derek Adams (below) returned to the club for a second stint in 2006, initially as a player before taking the managerial reins a year later after the departure of Dick Campbell, who had assembled a team that was deemed by owner and chairman Roy MacGregor to be delivering insufficient “style and panache”.

Under Adams’ management, 2009/10 brought a memorable run to the

Scottish Cup Final - a last-minute winner from Scott Boyd saw off Hibs at the quarter- final stage after two pulsating matches, before a famous 2-0 victory at Hampden over Celtic (it remains unknown to this day whether or not Robbie Keane ever managed to escape from the back pocket of Alex “Jasper” Keddie). Hibs would ultimately bring Adams to Easter Road for a brief, unsuccessful spell as assistant to Colin Calderwood, a few months after Dundee United brought that cup run to an end at the final stage.

Much of that squad formed the core of the 2011/12 side, under the returning Adams’ management, that romped to the First Division title, losing just one League game in the process (the club’s unbeaten League run eventually reached 40 games) and earning promotion to the top flight for the very first time. Names from that team such as Richie Brittain (scorer of County’s first Scottish Premier League goal, a marvellous free kick against Celtic), Paul Lawson, Stuart Kettlewell and Iain Vigurs are still revered at the club, and spoken of in hushed tones by the support - and that’s just the midfielders. The spirit of the Culbokie 7 was reinvigorated somewhat, with a number of that season’s squad chipping in to buy a clapped out people carrier to travel to training together in, which became known as the “Venga Bus”. This elevated status on the park also necessitated changes off it, with Victoria Park (now renamed the Global Energy Stadium in deference to Roy MacGregor’s business empire, his funding having been integral to both the club’s rise and continued success) transformed into an all-seater stadium with the building of a new away stand and installation of seats into the Jail End terrace (so-called owing to the now closed ➤

County Jail, formerly located adjacent to the stadium). Adams stuck with the majority of that side (save for the somewhat controversial addition of, um, “abrasive” ex-Inverness defender Ross Tokely) for the top flight and, after a slow start, a handful of shrewd additions (most notably ex Hibs speedster Ivan Sproule and German striker Steffen “The Wolf” Wohlfarth) spurred County on to a fifth place finish, with another victory over Celtic (the Wolf popping up with a last minute winner) one of the highlights of the campaign.

Finishes of seventh and ninth followed in the next two seasons (with Derek Adams departing for the third, and so far final, time), before arguably the club’s greatest achievement to date –winning the League Cup in 2016. The semi-final stage featured yet another win over Celtic (the Staggies are two for two at Hampden against them), before the final against Hibs. County took the lead through the long-serving (and indeed all-time leading appearance maker and goal scorer) Michael Gardyne, before a well struck equaliser from none other than Mr Liam Fontaine, now of course plying his trade here at Meadowbank (and who’d later have a spell of his own at Victoria ParkCounty’s bench that day also featured sometime Citizen Rafa De Vita). Hibs dominated the second half and looked the more likely winner for long spells. However, the indefatigable Gardyne led a late break down the left hand side, centring the ball which eventually fell to Alex Schalk to tap into the net from a matter of inches, sparking delirium in the travelling support. Since then, barring a brief interlude in the Championship in 2018/19, Ross County have become somewhat established in the bottom half of the Premiership (with former player Steven Ferguson now in the role of CEO after taking on numerous roles at the club,

most notably a successful stint as co-manager with Stuart Kettlewell), a status far beyond even the wildest dreams of the club and support when first elected to the SFL in 1994. At the same time, the club strives to retain links to the community as a whole - as the name suggests, Ross County is a club whose catchment area stretches far beyond Dingwall itself, with one of the youth academy’s most recent products Matthew Wright hailing from Stornoway on Lewis and Harris. It’s also no coincidence to see a number of players eventually returning to the club - Strathpeffer’s own Don Cowie being just the latest example. After over 240 appearances as a player, Cowie’s playing career took him to the English Premier League with Cardiff City, along with ten Scotland caps. Always regarded as an intelligent, technically sound midfielder, it was no surprise to see Cowie join the County coaching staff once he stopped playing - he now holds the role of assistant manager and is widely expected to one day take the reins himself.

Lewis Dalgarno

AWAY DAY GREENOCK MORTON

The last of our Viaplay Cup group matches will be at Cappielow Park on Saturday. People can sometimes fool themselves into thinking that Greenock is just beyond the Glasgow boundary. In fact it’s the length on Renfrewshire away from the Weeg, 25 miles from the city centre, so give yourself adequate time, whatever your mode of transport.

HOW TO GET THERE - ROAD

M8 through Glasgow and on to Langbank. The motorway ends here, but continue on the dual carriageway A8 for around six miles, through Port Glasgow and into Greenock. Cappielow is near the east end of the town – when you see red-brick dock buildings, look for Sinclair Street on the left. The car park entrance is just around the corner on the left-hand side, and parking costs £3.00. The stadium entrance is just up the road - away fans

go in the stand. Viaplay Cup prices apply (£14 adults).

HOW TO GET THERE - RAIL

Cartsdyke Station is next door to Cappielow Park. There is no direct service from Edinburgh; you will have to change in Glasgow. There are frequent services from Glasgow Central on the Gourock line, but be aware that not all trains stop at Cartsdyke – check the boards at Central. From Cartsdyke, cross the line, go to the foot of Bawhirley Street and turn right, and the ground is about 500 yards along the road. Total journey time is 2 hours 20 minutes, and the regular return price £26.20.

HOW TO GET THERE - BUS

No direct service - you will have to get to Glasgow then travel from Buchanan Street bus station. Takes even longer than the train but is cheaper. Several services available - check online.

Resin Creations by Yvonne

AWAY DAY STIRLING ALBION

Our cinch League 1 season starts at Forthbank Stadium on Saturday week when we make the 38-mile journey to meet Stirling Albion, newly-promoted League 2 title winners. The Beanos haven’t hoisted a title flag since 2010, so expect a bumper crowd.

HOW TO GET THERE - ROAD

M9 to Junction 8 then A91 to Stirling. Staying on the A91, take the third exit at the Skeoch roundabout. At the Millhall roundabout, follow signs for Alloa (there may be a ‘Football Traffic’ sign) and at the Muirton roundabout, second exit for Springkerse. The ground is on your right, beside The Peak Leisure Centre. Car park outside the ground. Usually

all spectators use the same stand, but special rules may apply today.

HOW TO GET THERE - RAIL

Regular services between Edinburgh and Stirling, the journey taking about 50 minutes. The return fare is £10.80. You can walk to the ground, crossing the footbridge and following Forthside Way, about 1 mile and takes 20 minutes, or get a P1 bus from the bus station (next to the train station) - runs every 15 minutes.

HOW TO GET THERE - BUS

Citylink service 909 (other services available) to Stirling Bus Station takes about 90 minutes and costs £5.50 one way - then service P1 as above to ground.

On Saturday a weakened City team made the long journey to the southwest to face League 2 Stranraer in a Viaplay Cup Group D match. The home side had most of the play in the first half and deserved to be ahead at the interval, Ben Armour hitting a simple shot from the edge of the box in 38 minutes. City were more alert after the interval and from a Murray cross Ryan Shanley hit an equaliser at the back post. We couldn’t keep up the pressure, though, and following a defensive error in 78 minutes Innes Murray fouled Tommy Orr and received a second yellow card. Orr himself scored from the spot to give Stranraer the points. A full report will appear in the next Citizen.

CLUB POLICIES

The following is an abridged version of the Club Policies which are given in full on our website, www.fcedinburgh. com/club-policies-2/ In any dispute between what is printed here and what is shown on the website, the latter will always take precedence.

STADIUM REGULATIONS

1. All matches are played in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of the Scottish Football Association, the Scottish Premier League, The Scottish Football League, and the Scottish Lowland Football League.

2. Play is not guaranteed to take place on any particular day or time. The Club may change advertised fixtures without notice and without liability.

3. All supporters must pay for admission in accordance to advertised conditions and rates.

4. Unauthorised persons may not enter upon the field of play. All persons must stay on the spectator side of the barriers.

5. Only authorised persons may offer programmes, food or drink, or anything else for sale in the Stadium.

6. Smoking in no-smoking areas is forbidden by law. Penalties include a fine and/or criminal prosecution.

7. Nobody may stand in any seating area whilst play is in progress. Offenders may be ejected.

8. Nobody may obstruct gangways, access ways, exits and entrances, or stairways, or climb structures within the Stadium.

9. Mobile telephones and other devices are permitted for personal and private use only.

10. The use of foul or abusive language; racist, discriminatory or sectarian remarks, songs or chants; and the promotion or endorsement of any political organisation are not permitted within the Sports Centre or surrounding areas. F.C. Edinburgh have a separate Anti-Discrimination Policy.

11. It is an offence punishable by law for any person to enter or attempt to enter the Stadium:

- Whilst in possession of a prohibited container

- Whilst in possession of alcohol

- Whilst drunk

- Whilst in possession, or under the influence, of any illegal substances

- Whilst in possession of flares, smoke bombs, fireworks or similar;

All persons entering the Stadium may be searched by the Club Stewards.

12. Articles which could be used as a weapon, or which are regarded as dangerous or unsafe are not permitted. This includes knives, fireworks, smoke canisters, airhorns, flares, weapons, laser devices, bottles, cans, and poles. Anyone in possession of such items will be refused entry or asked to leave.

13. All persons entering the Stadium may be required to submit to search by stewards.

14. The throwing of any objects is not permitted.

15. Persons using parking facilities at the Stadium do so at their own risk.

We are not responsible for damage, accidents or losses.

16. Those using parking facilities must park in a respectful manner and be mindful of other vehicles.

17. Spectators must exit the Stadium in an orderly manner after the end of the game.

18. In the event of an emergency instructions will be announced over the public address system. Spectators must follow the advice given, or directions given by Club Stewards.

19. At all times, the right of admission is reserved by the Club.

20. All persons entering are admitted subject to these Regulations and to the applicable Rules and Regulations of the relevant football authorities. ENTRY TO THE STADIUM SHALL CONSTITUTE ACCEPTANCE OF THESE RULES AND REGULATIONS. FAILURE TO ADHERE TO THEM MAY RESULT IN SEIZURE OF SEASON TICKET, OR A PERMANENT BAN FROM ATTENDING ANY FUTURE HOME GAMES.

21. The Club reserves the right for its servants, stewards, and agents, and for members of the Police force, to remove from the Stadium any person who does not comply with Stadium regulations and with the rules and regulations of the relevant football authorities, or whose presence in the Stadium is or could reasonably be construed as constituting a source of danger, nuisance or annoyance to other spectators.

UNACCEPTABLE CONDUCT POLICY

We will not tolerate unacceptable conduct at home or away stadia.

Unacceptable Conduct is conduct which is violent or disorderly.

Violent conduct is actual, attempted or threatened violence against any person, or intentional damage to property.

Disorderly conduct includes:

- Conduct which is likely to stir up hatred or ill-will against people based on their presumed membership of the following categories:

- Gender, colour, race, nationality (including citizenship) or ethnic or national origin

- religious groups or groups with a perceived religious affiliation

- Sexual orientation

- Transgender identity

- Disability or against an individual presumed to be a member of such group.

- Using threatening, abusive or insulting words or conduct

- Displaying anything threatening, abusive or insulting

- Using words or conduct or displaying anything supporting or opposing an organisation proscribed in terms of the Terrorism Act 2000.

ANY PERSON ENGAGING IN UNACCEPTABLE CONDUCT MAY BE SUBJECT TO ANY OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING, AS IS CONSIDERED APPROPRIATE:

- Ejection from the stadium;

- A temporary or indefinite ban from attending our matches; and/or

- Report to the police and possible criminal proceedings.

For the full and authoritative text of F.C.Edinburgh Club Policies, including the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy, the Club Code of Conduct, the Customer Charter, the Anti-Discrimination Policy, the Equal Opportunities Policy, the Disability Discrimination Policy, and the Children’s Rights Policy, please see our website at www.fcedinburgh.com/club-policies-2/

Under-20s Players in SPFL team squad

GROUP TABLES Cup

Clubs who have qualified for European competitions were exempt from the Group Stages and enter the Viaplay Cup at the Second Round – Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hibernian and Heart of Midlothian. There will be sixteen sides drawn in the Second Round, the five exempt clubs, the eight Group winners and the best three second-placed teams. At present this latter group would contain Cove Rangers, Greenock Morton and Dunfermline Athletic, but there are plenty of matches still to be played.

Results of the games played last night are not included in the tables.

MEET THE REFEREE COLIN

STEVEN

We welcome tonight’s match referee Colin Steven of the Lanarkshire Referees’ Association. Colin, who has been a full Category 1 official since 2014, is rarely seen at City matches nowadays as he mainly officiates in the Premiership and Championship, but he has taken charge of nine competitive games of ours – the first being a Lowland League fixture at Preston Athletic in September 2014, and the most recent last year’s League 1 Play-Off Final (first leg) against Annan Athletic in May 2022. Other important matches where Colin was the man with the whistle include the second leg of our playoff semi-final against Cove Rangers in April 2016, the 2020-21 play-off Final at Ainslie Park where we lost to Dumbarton in the first leg, and the 1-1 draw at Stirling which was our first SPFL point. Colin will be assisted by two Category 3 Specialist Assistant Referees, Chris Rae (Glasgow Referees’ Association) and John Stewart (Fife Referees’ Association).

Ground: Meadowbank Stadium

Registered Office: TBC

Email: admin@fcedinburgh.com

Telephone: 0131 210 0478

Chairman: John Dickson

General Manager: Colin Campbell

Board: John Dickson, David Armstrong, Alick Milne

Supporters’ Representative to the

Board: Robert Fallon

Manager: Alan Maybury

Assistant Manager: Mark Kerr

Strength and Conditioning Coach: Andy

Somerville

Goalkeeping Coach: Jamie Macdonald

Physiotherapist: Scott Anderson

Kit Man: Ian McIntyre

Under-20s Coach: Adam Cairnie

Women’s Team Management: Lee Zavaroni and Paul Alexander

Safety Officer: Sam Bryce

Chaplain: Christopher McRae

Matchday Operations: Jim Moore, Andy McDonald

Photography: Tommy Lee Photography

Videography: Dode Allen Media

Social Media: Dave Armstrong

Programme Editor: Alick Milne

Manager: Alan Maybury

1. Sam Ramsbottom

3. Kieran MacDonald

4. Lee Hamilton

5. Scott Mercer

6. Ben Stirling

7. Robbie Mahon

8. Robbie Leitch

9. Ouzy See

10. Danny Handling

13. Kyle Jacobs

14. Russell McLean

17. Liam Fontaine

21. Cameron Quate

22. Ciaran Brian

23. Innes Murray

24. Quinn Mitchell

29. Ryan Shanley

30. Callum Crane

MATCH OFFICIALS:

Referee: Colin Steven

Assistant Referee: Chris Rae

Assistant Referee: John Stewart

Manager: Malky Mackay

2. Connor Randall

3. Ben Purrington

4. James Brown

5. Jack Baldwin

6. Scott Allardice

7. Kyle Turner

10. Yan Dhanda

11. Josh Sims

12. Max Sheaf

15. Simon Murray

16. George Harmon

17. Jay Henderson

18. Will Nightingale

19. Jordy Hiwula

20. Adam Mackinnon

21. Ross Munro

23. Matty Wright

26. Jordan White

30. Dylan Smith

32. Connall Ewen

41. Logan Ross

43. Josh Reid

NEXT HOME MATCH:

CINCH LEAGUE 1

v QUEEN OF THE SOUTH

Meadowbank Stadium

Saturday 12 August 2023

Kick-off 3:00 p.m.