Football Nation will start selling our navy away strip from Saturday, initially adult sizes only.  The cost will be £34.99 and they will be available at the tournament at the weekend.  Football Nation will have a stall selling the full range of Spartans gear plus other football clothing.  Their website is www.thefootballnation.co.uk.

Deano, Robbie and Danny modelling the away kit - why is Deano taking the kick off?

The teams this weekend will be playing for the Ronnie Swan Challenge Cup.  Ronnie joined Spartans in 1953 and was a player, manager, secretary and president up until 2001 when he left the Committee to become our Honorary President.

Ronnie with Colin Hutchison - over 80 years at Spartans between them

As a reminder the games ko at 12.30 and 3.15 on each day.  On Saturday Hamilton Accies play Raith Rovers in the early ko and we play Blyth Spartans later in the afternoon.  Admission is £10/£5 for both days and £7/£4 for a day ticket.  When you arrive at the ground there will be seperate queues.  The gates open at 11.30am.  To mark the opening games at our new stadium a large commemorative programme costing £2 will be on sale.

We will have a marquee bar on site adjacent to the stand.  It will be open to over 18s only, and there will also be catering vans.   Football Nation will also be selling Spartans strips and merchandise, as well as other football clothing.  The clubhouse cafe/bar will be open for season ticket holders and other guests, seperate tickets are required for the cafe/bar.

Hamilton Accies are bringing their full first XI squad for their first games of pre-season as manager Billy Reid aims to build on their success of last season.  Secretary Scott Struthers came through to the Academy last week to look at our facilities and was delighted with the playing surface and the changing rooms.  Raith Rovers are well into their pre-season with a 2 – 0 win over Airdrie last Saturday and last night a 1 – 0 defeat at home to Norwich City.   Similarly Blyth have played two games this week, losing 4 – 2 to Dunfermline Athletic on Saturday and narrowly losing 2 – 1 to Darlington last night.  These results show just how strong Blyth are, and remember they only lost 1- 0 to Blackburn Rovers in the FA Cup last season.

We’re looking forward to a big crowd on both days.

Season tickets for season 2009/10 are now available to buy directly from Colin Hutchison at the Academy, online using this website or they will be available at the Academy during the tournament this coming weekend.

This season we’re delighted that not only will your season ticket gain you access to all East Of Scotland league matches and cup games for the Senior team (excluding Scottish Cup) but you will also allow you access to all Junior league matches at both City Park and the Academy (excluding all cup games).  The ticket will also guarantee you entry to the Academy cafe/bar after games, we have a  maximum capacity in the cafe/bar which will limit entry to the players, sponsors and season ticket holders.

Your season ticket therefore guarantees you access to at least 25 games for the season ahead!

Season tickets cost £50 for adults and £25 for concessions. This works out as just £2 per game for adult season and only £1 for concessions!  Buying your ticket before the tournament this weekend will also give you free entry for both Saturday and Sunday.

Please remember you will also be able to go to all home matches for the Spartans Womens team for the season ahead in the SWPL.

To buy your ticket please ask at Ainslie Park or click here to order yours online.

Advice for travelling fans.

Due to a limited numer of parking spaces, fans travelling to watch the Spartans Tournament on Saturday 18 & Sunday 19 July are recommended to park away from the ground and use public transport. The ground is served directly by the number 21 and 27 buses. If using these buses please get off outside Morrison’s Supermarket on Ferry Road. You can also use the numbers 19, 29, 37 & 47 to travel within 0.5 miles of the ground. If using these please get off 3 stops after passing the Western General Hospital. It is a 5 minute walk along Ferry Road, then turn left onto Pilton Drive once you pass Morrison’s.

For more information on these bus route and timetables please visit, www.lothianbuses.com

For fans travelling by train. The best station is arrive at is Waverly Station. Due to Princes Street being closed, please take a short walk to George Street to get a bus. Please see bus information above.

Alternatively it costs about £6 from the centre of Edinburgh by Taxi.

Spartans lost 3-0 to Arbroath at Gayfield this afternoon in their first pre-season game. An experimental team which included several of our new summer signings took part in the game.

Paul Lunan put Arbroath just before half time and then Barry Sellars scored with a pinpoint free kick. Steve Hislop completed the scoring.

Arbroath: Hill, Rennie, McMullen, Dobbins, Bishop, Gibson, Doris, Lunan, Scott, Sellars, Watson. Subs used: Gates, Hislop, Redman, Milne, Suttie, McIlravey.
Spartans:  Paterek, Archibald, Hoskins, Sievwright, Opilka, O’Donnell, King, Manson, Henretty, Moffat, McKibben. Subs used: Perry, Trialist.

Spartans will next be in action on 18th July against Blyth Spartans.

Mike Lawson´s thoughts on the game tomorrow.

“Tomorrow is a very important day for the Spartans First Team.” Easy to say when Sam, Mike, Eric and myself are abroad on holiday.

Seriously, the players have now been back for four weekends and those who have been around and worked hard deserve a real game of football on an excellant surface.

It´s a chance for the new boys to see how their new team-mates  play and a chance for our existing players and coaches see how the new guys fit in.

“T in the Park” and Hobbin´s wedding (which is the bigger pull?) mean we are short of quite a few first team regulars but as I´ve said, those who are left  deserve a serious kick at a ball after all that running they have done. 

Arbroath wont treat us lightly after our Scottish Cup journey up there a few years back when their current manager scored the first and their only goal in five.

Tomorrow the score doesn´t matter but it will be a fitness excerise for some and a learning experience for the rest of our players.

Good luck to the players and Dougie and Walter (aided by Temps and Jimmy Murray).

Next season and Whitehill in our first competitive game at the Academy isn´t that far away.

In order to celebrate the enormous contribution made to the club by Mark Burns over the past two decades, the club have announced details of “Mark Burns Celebration Weekend”.

A benefit match between Spartans and a Falkirk FC XI & Legends in aid of local charity SiMBA will take place on Sunday 26th of July at Ainslie Park stadium with all profits from the match, and all other event of the weekend going to a worthy cause. Suggested donation at the gate is £5.

Another event lined up for the weekend includes:

• Golf Challenge at King’s Acre. Monday 27th July

We look forward to a capacity crowd at Ainslie Park in honour of a true Spartans legend.

For further information please contact Stewart Fowlie on 07903 891 497 or Ross Campbell on 07775 805 209.