UNDERDOGS GRIN AND BARE THEIR TEET
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It’s literally been an up and down couple of seasons for Raith Rovers. In May 1993 there was the glory of promotion to the Premier Division for the first time in their history. Then there was also the smattering of comedy when on ‘Grandstand’ Des Lynam quipped intamously, ‘They’ll be dancing in the streets of Raith tonight’ - Raith Rovers come from Kirkcaldy.
Raith found their first season in the top flight a dillicult one. Alter only nine months, they were relegated back to the First Division. Raith’s manager Jimmy Nicholl admits it was hard to bear, but that winning the Coca-Cola Cup would compensate his worthy side. ‘We couldn’t win in a 44 game Premier League last season, but we can certainly compete to win over 90 minutes. This win could put us into the UEFA Cup next season and that could mean the beginning of the greatest period this football club has ever known.’
Raith are without doubt the underdogs: they are David to Celtic’s Goliath. Yet llicholl says all the pressure is on Celtic because the team’s players, supporters and the media are expecting a Celtic win. Amazingly Nicholl wants some of the pressure to run his way as he feels it would spur his team to a historic
X, j
Snap, tackle and pop ,
for Northern Ireland in the 1982 World Cup in Spain. We were playing the host nation under no pressure because we weren’t expected to win. Suddenly we took the lead and then Mal Donaghy got sent off, so we were down to ten men. I can remember every second of that game because I was concentrating so hard, thinking
PIIO'I'OGENIX PII()'I'()GRAPIIY (AJ I-‘IMIS'I‘ERI
k
. nobody’s going to take this prize away i from me. That’s the kind of commitment I want from my players. |
wouldn’t mind the result either.’
victory. (Philip Dorward) t ‘I love working under pressure,’ he Celtic v Raith Rovers, lbrox Stadium, says. ‘I can remember a game I played Glasgow, 3pm.
Events are listed alphabetically by sport, then by day. Sport listings compiled by Jonathan Trew.
AERDBICS Saturday 26 Edinburgh
I Red Ribbon Aerobics Class Hall. Meadowbank Sports Centre. I 1.30am. £5/£2 kids. Organised by Crusaid Scotland. 225 8918. Participants must register beforehand with Crusaid. Philip Schofield will be there along with the cast ofJoseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat in order to help you to go for the burn and shed some flab before Christmas. Presumably they won‘t be wearing their stage outfits.
BADMINTDN Wednesday 23—Sunday 27
I Glasgow Scottish Dpen Championships Kelvin Hall International Sports Arena. Glasgow. Five gruelling days of shuttlccock swiping to find assorted kings and queens of the court.
I I I Monday 28 1
Centre. (rpm. £2.50 (£l ()APs. fifteen years and younger).
3331-» Sunday 20
I Scottish Cyclo-Cross Championship Kings Park. 124 Glencroft Road. Glasgow. 2pm. Shaping up to be a good competition with entries from last year's winner. Simon Alderson from Penicuik. and Gregor Grant. Scottish champion from the Cairngorm Cycling Club.
Sunday 27
I Winter Discorama Plaza Ballroom. Glasgow. Information (HI 9-12 798-1. ll.3()am. Reckon you're a disco diva who
can strut your stuff with the best? Here's your chance to shine under the glitter ball with disco and rock ’n' roll dancing competitions.
Glasgow
I Race Days 'l‘uesdays. Thursdays and
Stranraer I Scotland v Canada Ryan Leisure L__. ---__-- -
Road. Glasgow. There are ten races in each meeting starting at 7.45pm.
DANCESPORT ~ ‘ ;
3 Road. Brechin. 3pm.
: I Morton V East Fife Cappielow Park. 2 Sinclair Street. Greenock. 3pm.
5 I Berwick Rangers v Stenhousemuir
Shieltield Park. Tweedmouth. Berwick-
Edinburgh
I Race Days Tuesdays. Thursdays and Saturdays. Powderhall Stadium. Beaverhall Road. Edinburgh. Each meeting includes ten races. starting at 7.30pm. Race programme tree with admission.
FOOTBALL
Saturday 19
PREMIER LEAGUE
I Dundee United V Hearts Tannadice Park. Dundee. 3pm.
I Ribs V Motherwell Easter Road Stadium. Albion Road. Edinburgh. 3pm. I Partick Thistle v Aberdeen I‘II'IIIII Park. 80 Firhill Road. Glasgow. 3pm.
I Kilmarnock V Celtic Rugby Park. Kilmarnock. 3pm.
I Rangers V Falkirk lbrox. Edmiston Drive. Glasgow. 3pm.
FIRST DIVISION
I Airdrie V Dundee B roadwood Stadium. Cumbemauld. 3pm.
I St Johnstone v Ayr United McDiat-mitl Park. Crieff Road. Perth. 3pm.
I Clydebank v Raith Rovers Kilbtm-ic Park. Arran Place. Clydebank. 3pm.
f I Duntermline v St Mirren East End Park.
Halbeth Road. Dunfermline. 3pm.
I Stranraer v Hamilton Stair Pat-k. London Road. Stranraer. 3pm.
! SECOND DIVISION
I Morton V Stirling Albion Cappielow Park. Sinclair Street. Greenock. 3pm.
I Berwick Rangers v Clyde Shielfield Park. Tweedmouth. Berwick-upon-Tweed. 3pm.
I East Fite V DDS Bayview Park. Methil.
Fife. 3pm. I Meadowbank v Dumbarton
‘. Meadowbank Stadium. London Road. '7 Edinburgh. 3pm.
2 I Stenhousemuir v Brechin ()chilview Park. Gladstone Road. Stenhousemuir. ; 3pm.
Saturday 26
PREMIER LEAGUE I Motherwell v Partick Thistle Fir Park.
' Motherwell. 3pm.
I Falkirk v Dundee United Brockville
' Park. Hope Street. Ealkirk. 3pm.
I Ribs V Celtic Easter Road Stadium. Albion Road. Edinburgh. 3pm.
I Kilmarnock v Hearts Rugby Park. ' Kilmarnock. 3pm. . I Rangers v Aberdeen I brox. Etlmiston
Drive. Glasgow. 3pm.
FIRST DIVISION
I Hamilton v St Johnstone Douglas Park. Douglas Park Lane. Hamilton. 3pm.
I Dundee v Ayr United Dens Park. Sandeman Street. Dundee. 3pm.
I Raith Rovers v St Mirren Starks Park.
Pratt Street. Kirkcaldy. 3pm.
I Clydebank v Airdrie Kilbowie Park. Arran Place. Clydebank. 3pm.
I Stranraer v Duntermline Stair Park.
London Road. Stranraer. 3pm.
’ sscono DIVISION
I Clyde v Dumbarton Broadwood Stadium. Cumbernauld. 3pm. I Brechin V DDS Glebe Park. Trinity
upon-Tweed. 3pm.
' I Stirling Albion v Meadowbank , Forthbank Stadium. Springkerse Industrial Estate. Stirling. 3pm.
HOCKEY
Saturday 19
MEN’S OUTDOOR DIVISION ONE
Saturdays. Shawlield Stadium. Rutherglen j I westem v mange Auchcnhomc.
I Torbrex Wanderers v Edinburgh MIM
i Mary/field Astroturf. Edinburgh.
I Insights Inverleith v Menzieshill Meadowbank Astroturf. Edinburgh. I TR Gordonians v Kelburne C()lllIIL‘SS\\’LIIS. Aberdeen.
I Watsonians v Edinburgh University Myreside. Edinburgh.
WOMEN’S OUTDOOR DIVISION ONE
I Heriot Watt University v Grove Cramond Campus. Edinburgh.
I GW Click Photopoint 2 v Hyndland Stepps Playing Iiields.
I Edinburgh Ladies v GW Klick Photopoint Cramond .-\stroturf. Edinburgh.
Sunday 20
WOMEN’S OUTDOOR DIVISION ONE
Q I Boroughmuir v Royal High Gymnasts
I l I l
i
Meadowbank/Meggatland. Edinburgh. I Heriot Watt University v Grange Cramond Campus. Edinburgh.
[DEE— Monday 28
I Kelso Races Kelso Racecourse. Kelso. First race l2.5()pm. National Ilunt racing.
Saturday 26
MCEWAN’S NATIONAL LEAGUE 70/- DIVISION ONE
I Currie v Boroughmuir .\lalleny Park.
Balerno. 2pm.
% I Watsonians v Glasgow High/Kelvinside
Myreside. Myreside Road. Edinburgh. 2pm.
I Jedhurgh Forest v Heriot’s FP Riverside Park. Jedburgh. 2pm.
I Edinburgh Academicals v Hawick
1 Raeburn Place. Stockbridge. Edinburgh.
2pm.
I Dundee HS FP v West of Scotland
' Mavfield. Arbroath Road. Dundee. 2pm.
I Stirling County v Gala Ridgehaugli.
Causewayhead Road. Stirling. 2pm.
3 I Melrose v Stewart Melville PP The
Greenyards. Melrose. 2pm.
DIVISION TWO
3 I Preston Lodge FP v Haddington
* Pennypit Park. Rope Walk. Prestonpans.
3pm. I Edinburgh Wanderers v Gordonians
. Murrayfield. Edinburgh. 2pm.
I Wigtownshire v Corstorphine London Road Playing Iiield. Ladies Walk. Stranraer. 2pm.
. I Biggar v Glasgow Academicals llartree
Mill. Higgar. 3pm.
i I Kelso V Peebles Poynder Park. Poynder
Place. Bowmont. Kelso. 2pm. I Grangemouth V Kirkcaldy (ilensbngh.
Glensburgh Road. Grangemouth. 3pm. I Selkirk v Musselburgh I’Itilipltaugll. ' Ettrickhaugh Road. Selkirk. 2pm.
DIVISION THREE
I Stewartry v Duntermline (ireenlaw. Crossmichael Road. (‘astle Douglas. 2pm.
I Portobello EP V Ayr (i'avalry Park.
Dundee Road West. Edinburgh. 3pm.
I Royal High v Trinity Academicals
Royal Iligh School. East Harmon Avenue.
Barnton. Edinburgh. 2pm.
I East Kilbride v Edinburgh University Torrance House. ('alderglen Country
Park. Strathayen Road. East Kilbride.
2pm.
I Clarkston V Dumlries Braidholm. Braidholm Road. Giffnock. Glasgow. 2pm.
I Langholm v Hutchesons’ Aloysrans .\Iilntown. Langholm. Dumfriesshire. 2pm.
I Hillhead/Jordanhill v Kilmarnock Bellsland. Queens Drive. Kilmarnock. 2pm.
INTERNATIONAL MATCHES Saturday 19
I Scotland v South Africa .\lurrayt'teltl. Edinburgh. 2pm.
68 The List 18 November—I December I994