Latest news with #BigMatch
Edinburgh Reporter
04-05-2025
- Sport
- Edinburgh Reporter
Football fundraiser nets thousands for youth disability project
The scoreboard may have shown a draw but both teams at The Big Match walked away winners with more than £21,000 raised for a good cause. Made up of keen players from across Scotland's property sector, Residential United and Commercial City went head to head with football greats Gordon Smith and Billy Davies managing the teams. Ex-Dundee United defender Darren Dods and former Hearts striker Gary Wales also stepped in to lead the players on the field as part of the event to fundraise for Capability Scotland's YouthZone project. Held in March at Spartans Football Club, the two teams battled it out in an exciting contest, culminating in a closely fought draw. The event now in its third year, spearheaded by Steve Currie, Director at Murray & Currie Property, brought together Edinburgh's property sector and football community in support of a vital cause for the third year running: Steve Currie said: 'This year's Big Match was a fantastic success, not only as a thrilling game but as a powerful fundraising initiative. 'It's incredible to see the property and football communities come together to support the work of Capability Scotland and especially the work they do to support young people and their families. 'Every player, sponsor, and supporter has helped make a real difference.' Funds raised will go towards the creation of a fully accessible outdoor play area at YouthZone, Capability Scotland's service supporting disabled young people in Riccarton, Edinburgh. The new outdoor space will provide a safe and engaging environment for up to 65 children and young people and 30 adults to relax, play, and connect. Costs for the project have doubled due to unexpected issues, and so this funding will allow YouthZone to build a safer and more accessible outdoor space, complete with accessible play equipment and protective fencing. Now in its third year, the match was backed by headline sponsors Shepherds and Graham & Sibbald, with Hummel donating kits and The Spartans Community Foundation providing the stadium, changing rooms, and referee, thanks to the generosity of Chris Kirby at Hummel and Dan Gerrard at Spartans. Edinburgh's property industry has rallied behind the event, with teams made up of players from Murray & Currie Property, Simpson Marwick, Ralph Sayer, Murray Developments, S1 Developments, VALTTI Paints, Hampden Bank, Handelsbanken, Thistle Property, AH&Co Accountants, Redpath Bruce, Square & Crescent, Melville Independent, Turcan Connell, Square Foot Media, and AMA Developments. Ailsa Wallace, Head of Fundraising & Communications at Capability Scotland, expressed her gratitude to all those involved: 'We are absolutely thrilled by the support shown for The Big Match. 'The funds raised will make a tangible difference in the lives of the young people we support at YouthZone. 'This new outdoor space will help foster confidence, friendships, and independence in a safe and inclusive environment.' For over 75 years, Capability Scotland has been at the forefront of providing exemplary care, support, and education for disabled children and adults across Scotland. To support The Big Match, and for more details, visit: Like this: Like Related
Scotsman
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Football fundraiser nets over £21k for youth disability project
Watch more of our videos on and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565 Visit Shots! now The Scoreboard may have shown a draw but both teams at The Big Match walked away winners with over £21k raised for a good cause. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Made up of keen players from across Scotland's property sector, Residential United and Commercial City went head to head with football greats Gordon Smith and Billy Davies managing the teams. Ex-Dundee United defender Darren Dods and former Hearts striker Gary Wales also stepped in to lead the players on the field as part of the event to fundraise for Capability Scotland's YouthZone project. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Held in March at Spartans Football Club, the two teams battled it out in an exciting contest, culminating in a closely fought draw. Capability Scotland The event now in its third year, spearheaded by Steve Currie, Director at Murray & Currie Property, brought together Edinburgh's property sector and football community in support of a vital cause for the third year running: Steve Currie said: "This year's Big Match was a fantastic success, not only as a thrilling game but as a powerful fundraising initiative. 'It's incredible to see the property and football communities come together to support the work of Capability Scotland and especially the work they do to support young people and their families. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Every player, sponsor, and supporter has helped make a real difference." Capability Scotland Funds raised will go towards the creation of a fully accessible outdoor play area at YouthZone, Capability Scotland's service supporting disabled young people in Riccarton, Edinburgh. The new outdoor space will provide a safe and engaging environment for up to 65 children and young people and 30 adults to relax, play, and connect. Costs for the project have doubled due to unexpected issues, and so this funding will allow YouthZone to build a safer and more accessible outdoor space, complete with accessible play equipment and protective fencing. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Now in its third year, the match was backed by headline sponsors Shepherds and Graham & Sibbald, with Hummel donating kits and The Spartans Community Foundation providing the stadium, changing rooms, and referee, thanks to the generosity of Chris Kirby at Hummel and Dan Gerrard at Spartans. Capability Scotland Edinburgh's property industry has rallied behind the event, with teams made up of players from Murray & Currie Property, Simpson Marwick, Ralph Sayer, Murray Developments, S1 Developments, VALTTI Paints, Hampden Bank, Handelsbanken, Thistle Property, AH&Co Accountants, Redpath Bruce, Square & Crescent, Melville Independent, Turcan Connell, Square Foot Media, and AMA Developments. Ailsa Wallace, Head of Fundraising & Communications at Capability Scotland, expressed her gratitude to all those involved: "We are absolutely thrilled by the support shown for The Big Match. 'The funds raised will make a tangible difference in the lives of the young people we support at YouthZone. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'This new outdoor space will help foster confidence, friendships, and independence in a safe and inclusive environment." For over 75 years, Capability Scotland has been at the forefront of providing exemplary care, support, and education for disabled children and adults across Scotland. To support The Big Match, and for more details, visit: For more information on Capability Scotland, visit:
Telegraph
02-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Arsenal dating show latest example of football forgetting how to cringe
What to watch when you have binged The White Lotus, been through the Sopranos three times and face an agonising wait for the next series of Geordie Shore? With reluctance but undeniable intrigue my choice this week was a new show fronted by Rylan Clark on Paramount Plus. It is called Dating Naked and the title is not one of those cruel tricks like William Burroughs' Naked Lunch, which contains nothing of the sort. This delivers exactly what its title promises, basically Love Island minus designer swimwear. Confessional straight-to-camera pieces show contestants mulling all the usual concerns of such shows, like whether to shoot their shot with Emily from Manchester, except their scrotum is showing. It is both grimly compelling and actively difficult to watch, but it is still preferable to another new dating show announced this week. The Big Match, unfortunately not a revival of the ITV Elton Welsby vehicle, will attempt to matchmake Arsenal supporters via blind dates which take place at a match. The show 'celebrates how a shared love of football can prove a catalyst for an even deeper romance,' which sounds highly optimistic. Perhaps 'even deeper romance' was accidentally pasted over the word 'argument'? Make no mistake, this could be big. Chicken Shop Date x AFTV big. If the producers are on the ball we may finally witness the epochal meeting between Taiwo 'Ty' Ogunlabi and self-professed die-hard Gooner Dido. Admittedly Dido has been married for 14 years but who can resist a man with club-branded headphones AND matching water bottle? In the pre- Big Match age Arsenal fans found love online through the use of codes only decipherable to them: GSOH – Gabriel sent off harshly; WLTM – Watching Leandro Trossard meander. But that has proved too risky when those phrases can be misconstrued and cause fans to accidentally Tinder match with Spurs supporters. So now we can all enjoy Arsenal fans connecting with one another in the safe space of secondary online content. Will anyone watch? Even the club do not seem entirely confident, with the terms and conditions on their applicant sign-up page stating 'Arsenal has no obligation to produce and/or broadcast the Production.' Whether or not it ever makes it to the bright lights and opaque algorithms of YouTube, this is the latest example of football devouring all around it. If Brentford can have an 'official contract furniture partner' and when Millwall are launching their own phone network, why can't Arsenal muscle in on dating shows? Something has shifted amongst fans to create this climate. Around 30 years ago it was considered naff for an adult to wear a replica shirt to a game, let alone spend money on a tie decorated with the team crest. Now there is no limit to the reach of a club's brand, and the rocket-charged climate of online tribalism provides an eager market for whatever product is being churned out. None of this could happen without a change in attitudes and a drastic loss of shame. If football ever had a cringe gland, it is long gone. You see it everywhere from official statements deployed to whine about refereeing decisions to epic signing announcement videos for defenders who end up playing fewer than 30 games. Ultimately The Big Match and any similar ventures are expressions of strength from Arsenal and football as a whole. Many of us work through life with the ultimate aim to shed shame. People say it gets easier as you age. It certainly does when you become wildly rich and millions lap up everything you say and do.
