Aberdeen Indoor Bowling Club senior men INVINCIBLES - including Edwin, 85 - win historic league and Scottish Cup double
Aberdeen Indoor Bowling Club's representative men's senior team carpeted rivals across the country, winning all 18 matches – a national-first – on their way to a Scottish League Cup and Scottish Cup double.
It was quite the couple of weeks for the history-making, invincible Summerhill side, who secured the league title on Wednesday, March 26, followed by the Scottish title seven days later on Wednesday, April 2.
It is believed they are the first Scottish senior indoor team EVER to win all of their games in a campaign.
The squad was comprised of 20 players, making up four rinks of four, with four reserves.
Most of the talent are in their 70s – though there are a couple of young guns of 60-plus, while a couple of the players are octogenerians.
Edwin Riddell, 85, was the oldest member of squad.
Ellon-based former electrician Edwin has been a member at Aberdeen Indoor Bowling Club for four decades, and was lured back to the club's competitive ranks, following a stint playing for Buchan Bowling Club, in 2021, by ex-Summerhill senior captain Gordon Brown.
Brown, he revealed, told him: 'You'll win trophies here' – and even the best draw could not have been more accurate!
'I've won a load of things at that level in bowling, but to win two medals within two weeks is tremendous,' Edwin said, after playing his final campaign for Aberdeen Indoor Bowling Club's senior representative side, who play their matches on Wednesdays during the season.
In the league, Aberdeen won eight sectional games, before moving on to the knock-out stages with the best sides nationally.
This culminated in a final at East Fife Indoor Bowling Club, in Leven, against Auchinleck – which Aberdeen won 69-56.
In the all-knock-out Scottish Cup, Aberdeen came through six ties to lift the trophy.
The final was against West Lothian at Midlothian Indoor Bowling Club, where they triumphed 65-54.
As Aberdeen looked to complete their perfect 18-victory season in Dalkeith, Edwin says the match was 'very close'.
He added: 'I was a substitute in that game. The final game – I had told the captain I was retiring for next season.
'But I played at East Fife in the league final.'
Sport runs in the Riddell family.
Edwin's son Gary Riddell played football for Aberdeen and Dunfermline – tragically passing away during a charity half-marathon in 1989.
His other son, Kevin, is the manager of Ellon Sports Centre, while grandson Ben Riddell plays for Highland League Formartine United.
Though he is now putting his bowls away on Wednesdays, he will continue to play other local senior league matches for Aberdeen Indoor Bowling Club next season.
Edwin says he has enjoyed taking on the best Scottish outfits with his double-winning representative side team-mates, adding: 'There's a good social aspect. When you're travelling from Ellon into Aberdeen, so you can't really socialise as much, drinking-wise.
'But I enjoy my game and I enjoy the company. They're a great bunch of boys.'
Current Aberdeen Indoor Bowling Club representative men's senior team manager John Miller – who also manages Bon Accord Bowling Club's men's senior team in outdoor bowls – was delighted the squad were able to achieve success in his first season in-post, and thinks an open approach to his role played a part.
He said: 'It was my first year.
'You've got a squad of 20 guys and you can only play 16 at a time.
'Anyone who was ever dropped got a phone call to say they were being dropped, and I think the players appreciated that – and that's why I got them playing so well.'
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