22 SPORT
Playing football the Gorgie Way
Speedway club build
a wall of support
for NDL racing
Writing on the wall
By NIGEL DUNCAN
STELLAR MONARCHS Academy are
assembling a wall where fans can show their
support to keep the wheels turning on National
Development League (NDL) racing.
The wall will be displayed in the match
magazine for each Stellar Monarchs Academy
home fixture and also on a page on the club’s
website for the rest of this season.
So, for £20 you can have your name or a
short message included in the wall to display
your support.
John Campbell, Monarchs’ co-promoter,
said: “The target is to get 100 ‘bricks’ in the wall
which would be a massive boost.”
Campbell also looked back on the season so
far and reminded fans that ahead of the 2023
season the club re-branded its NDL activity
bringing the side much closer to the main
Monarchs team.
This, said Campbell, produced an
encouraging start to the season with resurgent
performances at this level.
He said: “The season started brightly with
much enthusiasm and some excellent displays
which was fantastic to see. We have had a
couple of bumps in the road recently, but now
have an excellent No 1 with Max Clegg leading
our strong heat leaders into an important
second half of the season.
“The bulk of our away matches are still ahead
of us so there are many opportunities to pick
up more points and bonus points to push on to
see if we can clinch a play off spot.”
Off the track there have been some
challenges and Campbell admitted: “With our
Academy home matches we appear to have had
an unfortunate run with rain floating around
the area and other factors which have held
crowd levels for National League racing below
a sustainable level.
“Our Academy team is an important
component of our overall MSA rider
development structure as it completes a full
pathway from kids on 50cc bikes right through
to competitive racing. This is what it is all
about and it is crucial that young riders can
see these opportunities.
“The racing at Academy matches so far this
season has been terrific and I would encourage
anyone who hasn’t been to see the team in
action, or hasn’t been for a while, to come
along on Friday to see what you are missing.”
Campbell said: “We very much enjoy stagingNDL racing at Armadale Stadium though it
does have its challenges. Many of the costs
of staging matches are the same as at
Championship level, however the crowds are
not quite where we hoped they would be.
“I am grateful to all who have attended
Academy fixtures at Armadale so far and to
our title partner Stellar Omada and all of our
sponsors for their wonderful support. Many
costs, such as medical provision, are essential
but are substantial so we are looking for a little
bit more assistance if possible as is often the
case at grassroots level sport.”By STAFF REPORTERTHIS BOOK - a 140 page paperback
with pictures - is a must for all
football fans, especially those
with a love of nostalgia and
derby rivalries.
The way the beautiful game has
changed is looked at through
Hearts’ record breaking unbeaten
derby run. The book reminds us of:
terracing, fenced-in-fans, brutal
physical challenges, The Shed, twopoints for a win, pass backs to the
goalie, Saturday 3pm kick offs,
homegrown players,
following games on
Ceefax and the
scramble for the local
Saturday night sports
newspaper (The Pink).
An Old Firm free
zone and probably
best avoided by fans of
the wee team.
Profits from thisbook go to The Foundation of
Hearts (FOH) with a foreword by
Ian Murray MP (former
chair of the FoH).
The book is a
light-hearted look back
at Hearts’ record
breaking 22 derbies in
a row unbeaten; 1989
to 1994. Includes a “on
this day in history” to
remind us what was
happening across theworld back in the day: John Major,
poll tax riots, end of the Berlin Wall,
Spitting image.
This is the final part of a Trilogy...
Book 1: “Locked out of our Hearts :
Scottish football survives the
pandemic”
Book 2: ”We went by railway: 45
years of Jambo away days”
Book 3: is available in July from
the author and The Football
Progamme Shop (No 5 Albion
Road, Edinburgh).John Campbell and
Scott Wilson (right),
Academy team managerThe book’s author Alistair Stupart (right)
pictured with Campbell MartinLowland League
will be a challenge
By NIGEL DUNCANLIAM FOX admitted that the Lowland
League will be a real challenge for Hearts
but the new B Team boss believes the
experience the club had last season will be
key to their new campaign.
Fox told Hearts TV: “We’re under no
illusions how difficult it will be because
there are a lot of experienced players in
that league.
“That said, it’s a challenge I’m looking
forward to and I’m certain the players
will as well.”
Fox left Tynecastle in 2020 and has had
spells at Livingston, Dundee United and
Aberdeen before returning to Gorgie. He
said: “I’ve been away now for about three
years and seen some different things at
different clubs.
“I think I come back a better coach and
hopefully those experiences will have
stood me in good stead and help the
players that are here just now. I’ve worked
with a diverse range of people who
have all brought their own qualities,
but we know well the demands at a club
like Hearts.
“The supporters expect big things, The
youngsters are going to learn very quickly
about my expectations for them. To do
that, they have to maximise every single
day they’re out on the training pitch.”
The squad will, he said, have to work
hard, eat correctly and sleep well and he
added: “They have to be making sacrifices.”
Fox warned the young players: “I know
how quickly careers can go. One day
you’re 16 and, before you know, you’re
suddenly 35 and the career is finished. I’m
not here to be their mate. If they come and
give me their all then there is no reason
why this can’t be successful for all of us.”Liam Fox