SDS Cup - Stirling Albion vs Heart of Midlothian

SUPPORTERS DIRECT SCOTLAND CUP 2015

STIRLING ALBION VS HEART OF MIDLOTHIAN TUESDAY 14TH JULY, 2015, FORTHBANK STADIUM

£2

OFFICIAL MATCH SPONSOR

OFFICIAL BALL SPONSOR

WELCOME TO THE

SUPPORTERS DIRECT SCOTLAND CUP WELCOME Welcome to the 2015 Supporters Direct Scotland Cup. We’re delighted we’ve been able to work with Stirling Albion and Heart of Midlothian to make today’s fixture possible and look forward to seeing whether Hearts will be able to hold onto the Cup following their 2-1 victory over Dunfermine Athletic two years ago.

For Supporters Direct Scotland, Stirling Albion and Hearts represent two success stories of supporters being more than part of the audience, but taking on a much more active role in the ownership and governance of their clubs.

When the Stirling Albion Supporters Trust rallied the community together to purchase the club back in 2010, it demonstrated that supporters and supporter groups were organised, professional, democratic and vibrant third sector organisations and could have a much greater impact beyond 3pm on a Saturday afternoon.

Similarly, the story of Heart of Midlothian’s revival through the leadership and support of Anne Budge and the Foundation of Hearts is inspiring stuff and many groups are keen to replicate the success of the Foundation of Hearts. We’d like to take the opportunity to take both the Stirling Albion Supporters Trust and Foundation of Hearts for always being willing to talk to other fan groups and share their experiences and best practices. It’s great that Scottish football supporters can come together regardless of the team they support for the benefit of the game.

their community, benefit from greater strategic relationships and financially, it creates a greater sense of responsibility; an increased recognition for clubs to live within their means.

Of course, supporter involvement is no panacea for Scottish football’s issues, but when fans gets more involved in decision making, the game starts putting its key stakeholders first.

Both Stirling Albion and Hearts have overcome significant issues, and while both will surely encounter challenges and issues along the line, they are remarkable examples of the power and role supporters can play within the game.

We’d like to take the opportunity to thank ShareIn who are sponsoring today’s game. ShareIn are an equity based crowdfunding platform and having sponsored our Conference last month, we are delighted they are keen to be involved again through the Cup. We look forward to seeing them more involved in the sport sector in the coming months.

Finally, we’d like to thank Bala Sport for providing today’s match balls. Bala are a new social enterprise selling fair trade certified balls across the UK. They are currently running a share offer through which you can become a part-owner. The organisation offers and promotes all the values Supporters Direct Scotland hold dear including transparency, democracy and equality so we would encourage anyone interested to visit balasport.co.uk to sign up. We hope you enjoy seeing the balls in action.

Enjoy the game!

Our research has shown clubs with great- Best wishes, er fan involvement in their ownership and Andrew Jenkin governance tend to have better links to (@AndrewJenkin)

ABOUT THE

SD CUP

Hearts are the current holders of the SDS having beaten Dunfermline 2-1 at East End Park in 2013.

ORIGINS OF THE SUPPORTERS DIRECT CUP The SD Cup, SD Shield and SD Scottish Cup are fixtures held between two clubs with significant supporter involvement in their ownership and governance. The invitation only matches have been held for the past 14 years to celebrate the role supporters play in owning and supporting their football clubs in the U.K and across Europe.

justification for spending it on silverware.

A call went out to fans across the country who raised the money to have the Supporters Direct Cup put into production.

THEREFORE, IN PRINCIPLE THE CUP WAS CREATED BY THE FANS FOR THE FANS.

When AFC Wimbledon was being formed, the club received a significant support and professional advice from Enfield Town FC. That support was cemented when a friendly match between the two was organised. Following this, we were pleased to have organised the SDS Cup between Dunfermline Athletic The game would be the first time two support- and Heart of Midlothian in 2013 when both clubs ers’ trust-owned clubs had played each other, were going through significant financial difficulty and given the level of the teams in the football and experiencing administration. pyramid, was one that looked like it might be a decent competitive game for a club with few Hearts won that game 2-1 at East End Park and competitive matches under its belt. we look forward to seeing if they’ll be able to defend their title against Stirling Albion today.

In anticipation of this Supporters Direct agreed to sponsor a cup, but as a publicly funded body, it neither had the spare cash nor the

A MESSAGE FROM THE

CHAIRMAN WELCOME A very warm welcome to Forthbank Stadium to everyone attending this evening’s Supporters Direct Scotland Cup match versus Heart of Midlothian. Despite the qualification criteria being similar to that of the annual University Boat Race, it’s great to be playing in a Cup Final and I’m sure this will add a competitive edge to this pre-season fixture.

I extend my congratulations to everyone associated with Hearts FC for their magnificent achievement last season in winning the SPFL Championship (at a canter!) and my thanks to Robbie Neilson in particular for agreeing to bring his full first team squad to contest tonight’s fixture.

My very best wishes to Robbie, his coaching staff and players for their return to the Premiership.

Thank you to ShareIn for sponsoring today’s game.

I am extremely grateful to Jude Cook, Chief Executive Officer of Sharein ( www.sharein.com ) for her company’s generous match sponsorship of the match, to Bala Sport (www.balasport. co.uk ) for the “Fair Trade” match balls and of course, Supporters Direct Scotland for their sizeable and much appreciated con

Bala Sport are sponsoring today’s match balls with fair trade balls.

tribution to making this evening possible.

From a Stirling Albion perspective, following on from last season’s disappointing campaign, the close season has been extremely busy on and off the pitch and I’m confident that we are in excellent shape to make a real fist of bouncing straight back up to SPFL1 at the first attempt. Our Management Team have been tireless and meticulous in their preparations and the buzz around the dressing room and training pitch since pre-season training started has been tangible.

Finally, a big thank you to every paying customer! I do appreciate that the adult gate price is a bit higher than might be traditionally expected for such a fixture but I would wish to provide assurance that a primary objective of this evening is to maximise the club’s contribution towards funding our Youth Development set up.

It’s great to have football back…enjoy!

Stuart Brown Stirling Albion Chairman

ADVERT Printing

SUPPORTER INVOLVEMENT

FOUNDATION OF HEARTS

Supporter ownership and fans’ involvement in the ownership and governance of clubs is growing. Here we hear the story of the Foundation of Hearts.

The Foundation of Hearts (FoH) was created in 2010 by five men (Brian Cormack, Alex Mackie, Jamie Bryant, Garry Halliday and former Hearts player Donald Ford) amid deepening concerns among the fans over the way Hearts was being run.

After attempts to reach a takeover agreement with the then owner proved futile, the Foundation moved a step closer to realising it's ultimate objective of achieving fan ownership by helping to take the club out of administration in June 2013.

with the backing of the incredible Hearts fans.

Backed by over 8,000 supporters making monthly donations, the FoH entered into a partnership with Ann Budge, who lent the club £2.5 million to pay the Company Voluntary Agreement.

To date, the Foundation has paid over £2.4 million into the club to help with the dayto-day running, and remain on course to pay back Ann by 2019.

Today, the Foundation continues to grow stronger, with membership numbers recently reaching an all-time high as part of the five-year plan to become the majority shareholder.

With their unstinting support, we have already been able to meet the first two conditions of the agreement with Ann Budge.

As the lifeblood of club, the supporters came to the fore to keep Hearts beating and it is with their continued backing that we are within reach of becoming the biggest fans movement in British football.

Create History - Shape the Future The FoH's takeover vision is only possible www.foundationofhearts.org/

ABOUT

SUPPORTERS DIRECT SCOTLAND

Supporters Direct (SD) is a democratic and European wide (working in over 20 countries) cooperative umbrella organisation for 190 Supporters Trusts with a collective membership of over 750,000 members. SD were set up to address the disconnect between supporters and clubs back in 2000 as a result of a government thinktank. SD help to train, skill and educate thousands of volunteers who help provide a sustainable sporting future for local communities through their supporters trust. SD’s events, projects and industry research help to create the conditions in which fans have the ability to influence and own their clubs. Through the work of SD, there are now over 40 clubs in the UK owned by their supporters with the economic, social and community benefits of supporter involvement in governance well documented.

views heard, alongside their original aims of supporting and promoting community ownership of football clubs.

Additionally, SDS have supported and promoted the Supporters Trust movement in Scotland through advice, offering networking opportunities, promoting best practice and assisting them in gaining influence in the running and ownership of their clubs.

Over the past 3 years, SDS have worked with a variety of supporter owned cooperatives with a range of cases and heavily inspired and assisted the start up of the likes of Rangers First and Foundation of Hearts.

SDS’s contact with supporters and the football environment has also allowed the organisation Additionally, 73 Supporters Trusts, set up as to create change in areas beyond ownership and democratic non-profit Community Benefit Socie- governance. Through additional funding SDS ties, now have a supporter representative on the has been able to deliver an anti-sectarianism reboard of their club and 107 have a shareholding search project in which each Scottish Professionin their respective club. Crucially, over £30mil- al Football League club was offered a chance to lion has been raised and reinvested back into host a photo exhibition in which supporters were sport through supporters’ trusts and the work of surveyed on their perceptions of discrimination Supporters Direct. Since Supporters Direct Scot- within their local communities. This research will land’s establishment in Scotland in 2002, they be analysed and fed back to the Scottish Govhave been at the heart of the changing nature of ernment to develop future work within the secsupporter involvement in the game, from passive tor. SDS, through the Colours of our Scarves proto active. gramme, have delivered this to 31 (with support from 33) SPFL clubs between 2014-15.

Since SDS’ setup in 2002, they’ve assisted in supporting clubs in financial difficulties, pro- Similarly, SDS has been involved in the establishmoted stability through good governance and ment of a new Community Benefit Society (Bala assisted clubs financially through the promotion Sport) whose objective it is to sell and promote of supporters’ trusts and groups. SDS were origi- fair-trade footballs across the United Kingdom. nally funded in 2012 for a 3 year period on the basis that they grow a network of Scottish football You can follow Supporters Direct Scotland on supporters and offer them an outlet to have their Twitter @ScottishFans.

STIRLING ALBION V HEARTS The Clubs have met on 41 occasions in League, League Cup and Scottish Cup games. Hearts have the upper hand with 33 wins to the Albion’s three. Five games were drawn.

THE LAST TIME THEY PLAYED..

The first meeting took place on 13th August 1949 STIRLING ALBION in a League Cup tie at Annfield. Newly promoted, HEART OF MIDLOTHIAN the Albion ended up on the wrong side of a 5-1 result in front of a record attendance of 20,000. (DRIVER, KINGSTON) Not the best introduction to top flight football.

The scores were level at half time, a Willie Keith penalty equalising a Bobby Flavell goal for the SCOTTISH LEAGUE CUP Hearts. Two quick goals just after the interval put 28TH AUGUST, 2007 Hearts on the road to an easy victory.

Defeats to East Fife and Raith Rovers had the Albion firmly at the bottom of the 4 team League Cup section and not looking forward to a trip to Edinburgh to play the unbeaten Hearts side. An early evening kick off on 27th August, Hearts took an early lead through Willie Bauld and were leading by 4 goals to 2 just after the interval. Hearts were awarded and missed two penalties. That was the turning point and Willie Keith scored twice and set up the winner for Jack Jones. 5-4 to the Albion and the first victory in top flight football. East Fife topped the group and went on to win the trophy.

The game that means most to Albion fans is the 4-1 win at Tynecastle on 24th January 1959 against the League champions, Hearts. Aiming for two in a row, Hearts were well placed to top the division with a game in hand and two points behind Rangers. Ian Spence put the Albion ahead as a low shot sped up on the snow and beat keeper Marshall. McFadzean equalised only for Callan to give the Binos a 2-1 lead at the interval. McPhee made it 3-1 just after the interval and scored his 2nd and Albion’s 4th, to wrap up a fine win. McPhee was playing centre forward instead of his familiar outside left position and revelled in his new role. Albion finished mid table that season, with Hearts missing out on the championship by 2 points.

Hearts biggest win over the Albion was the 6-1 victory at Tynecastle on 3rd October 1953. Having beaten Rangers the previous week and a point above the Hearts, the away side were expected to do well but a Wardhaugh hat-trick and goals form Urquhart and Rutherford were decisive in an easy win for the home side.

0 2

Stirling Albion line-up: Myles Hogarth, Paul Nugent, Stuart Devine, Laurie Ellis, Andy Graham, Chris Aitken, Steven Bell, Paul Murphy, Colin Cramb, Derek Lilley and William Easton.

Hearts line-up: Steve Banks, Robbie Neilson, Jose Goncalves, Ibrahim Tall, Michael Stewart, Christophe Berra, Saulius Mikoliunas, Laryea Kingston, Calum Elliot, Marius Zaliukas and Andrew Driver

SUPPORTER INVOLVEMENT

STIRLING ALBION SUPPORTERS TRUST

The Stirling Albion Supporters’ Trust was established in 2002 to forge links between the club, the Stirling community and fans of the team. We are not a supporters club – we are an independent Society to give our supporters a voice which is both heard and heeded. In 2010 the Trust became owners of Stirling Albion FC. The summer of 2010 saw the Supporters Trust become the owners of Stirling Albion Football Club.

In doing so Stirling Albion FC became the first 100% fan owned senior league club in the UK. Many years before the fans finally entered the boardroom the Trust was originally conceived in 2002. A small group of diehard Stirling Albion supporters were concerned at the growing debt appearing within the Club’s Annual Accounts. A Trust was seen as an ideal vehicle through which financial support could be given to the Club from money raised through membership subscriptions and fund-raising activities. It was also seen as a means of raising awareness within the local community of the existence of a senior Scottish football club in its midst and as an important two-way channel of communication between football supporters and the Club’s Directors.

However, despite the best efforts of the Trust to engage with the Directors, all ideas advanced for the betterment of the Club fell upon stony ground and tangible offers of assistance were not taken up.

This situation changed subsequently when the post of match day programme editor fell vacant and the Club’s Board of Directors accepted an offer from the Trust to produce each programme.

Over many years, notwithstanding the financial sup-

port of principal shareholder and Chairman, Peter McKenzie, the Club’s debts continued to increase to a significant level. Also, a six-figure bank overdraft existed for several years. Mr McKenzie then announced that he wished to relinquish the reins at Stirling Albion FC and his shareholding within the Club was officially up for sale. However, there seemed to be no takers and in an increasingly difficult financial climate it looked unlikely that this would change.

In the light of this, the Trust, along with the Stirling Albion Supporters’ Club, RedWeb and Young Reds, put their heads together and devised an ambitious campaign – Buy Stirling Albion – to raise sufficient funds to purchase the majority shareholding held by Mr McKenzie. The Buy Stirling Albion campaign was formally launched on 6th May 2009 with the Trust being the primary vehicle to take it forward, hopefully, to the point where it was able to purchase the Club. This day came in June 2010.

Via nationwide newspaper and TV coverage, the UK was informed of the ground breaking news that the club had been saved and that the fans would run the club from now on. This formidable task was taken on essentially by volunteers who offered their time and effort to maintain and sustain the club in the Scottish First Division.

The Trust appointed a few of their members to a new Executive board of S.A.F.C. and gave them the freedom to operate and administer the club within the rules and regulations laid down by the Scottish football authorities… not an easy task for people who had no knowledge of the running of a football club and had to learn fast!

TEAM SQUADS STIRLING ALBION C. BINNIE (GK) C. SMITH (GK) L. HAMILTON (DF) R. FORSYTH (DF) R. MCGEACHIE (DF) K. MCKINLAY (DF) M. STAUNTON (DF) R. MCMILLAN (DF) C. COMRIE (MF) P. JOHNSTON (MF) D. SMITH (MF) W. ROBERTSON (MF) J MCGOVERN (MF) S. DICKSON (MF)

HEART OF MIDLOTHIAN

N. ALEXANDER (GK) J. HAMILTON (GK) S. GALLAGHER (GK) B. AUGUSTYN (DF) C. PATERSON (DF) K. MCHATTIE (DF) A. OZTURK (DF) J. MCGHEE (DF) M. GOMIS (MF) J. WALKER (MF) S. NICHOLSON (MF) B. KING (MF) M. PALLARDO (MF) P. BUADEN (MF) K. ANDERSON (MF)

S. CUNNINGHAM (ST) S. DORIS (ST) C. PATON (ST)

G. REILLY (ST) J. DELGADO (ST) S. EL HASSNAOUI (ST) G. OLIVER (ST) D. CARRICK (ST) O. SOW (ST)

MANAGER: STUART MCLAREN

HEAD COACH: ROBBIE NIELSON