A new season

« First better than Premier, Hewat high and another strange moment. | Main | Pre Season Friendly - Sat 2nd Augsut »

August 1, 2008

Firstly many thanks for the many messages of support following our SFL bid. It was very heartening reading the texts and emails and has given us all the resolve we need to move forward. Mind you it was a bit lonely initially after Phil’s email out on the evening of the result!

Anyway a new season is here and we’re raring to go. My update email will continue to cover the results and fixtures for the three Mens teams and the 19s, I will also add the two Womens teams as well. In addition it will continue to include the main news across the Mens section and the highlights across the rest of the club. We also have four websites now…the mens, womens, youth and the Academy…we are working on getting all the links working and will do a better job at keeping them current.

After loads of rain in early July progress at the Academy is coming along very well. The guys also had been working at weekends to get it ready for mid September for the SFL so we’ve cut back a bit on this. The weather has also been very wet both in early July and this week…Hutch did say that the new drainage has done a superb job although he would have preferred it not to have been tested quite so early! At the moment completion is now early October although the club room block may be ready before then. We did still go ahead with the irrigation system for the Stadium pitch which will make such a difference and the grass seed is due to be sown next week so we’re in good shape.

Last Weeks Results

Sat 26th July

1st XI Friendly Tynecastle 2 Spartans 5 (Daryl Devlin 4, Nicky Walker )
2nd XI Friendly Queen’s Park Reserves/U19s 1 Spartans 2 (David Cran, Steve Malin)…a better result than our last visit to Hampden at the start of July
3rd XI Friendly Spartans 2 (Chris Smith, Saveria Lagana) Stocksfield 5…thanks to Mark L for arranging Netherdale as neutral territory for the Scotland vs England annual challenge match

Wed 30th July

2nd XI Newcraighall Vics vs Spartans at Newcraighall ko 7pm

Fixtures

Sat 2nd XI August

1st XI Friendly Spartans vs Newtongrange Star at City Park ko 2pm
2nd XI Friendly Aitkenhead T vs Spartans at Balgray, Glasgow ko 2pm

Tue 5th August

Friendly 1st XI vs 2nd XI at Peffermill ko 7pm

Other News

1. Ian Murray the Hibs player has kindly agreed to join the 3rd XI coaching team for their Tuesday night sessions….Mark L is helping Ian start his coaching badges and thanks to mark for encouraging Ian to come along to Spartans. As long as the 3s start their season better than Hibs!

2. Many of you will have already heard this but some sad news regarding a couple of close friends of the Spartans family….The Doc (Andrew Ross) from EUAFC sadly passed away last Saturday, his funeral is this Saturday at Morningside at 10.15. So many Spartans players and committee have benefitted from the Doc’s influence while they were at the Uni and indeed since and his presence will be sorely missed at the matches between us.
Margaret Middlemist…wife of Ian and Mum of Ross also passed away the week before last. Margaret has had to put up with Spartans for many years and our thoughts go to Ian and Ross.

3. 1000 club - May winners

The May winners were:

- Alistair Arnott £215
- John McLean £129
- Dr Ian Smith (EUAFC) £86

The June draw is tomorrow.

4. Season Tickets will be on sale next Saturday at our first home game….details will be out on Monday after the committee meeting. We’re working out what we do when we move to the Academy and have the luxury of a stand and the cafe/bar.

5. Merchandise

Football Nation in Lothian Rd or off our website has a stock of strips, hoodies and t shirts all set for the new season - get in their first before all the tourists in the Capital snap them up when they visit the shop!

Share this story: