Latest news with #JohnMcKeown
Daily Record
30-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Shotts boss' relief as Clydebank win means top-flight safety
Shotts were one of four teams that faced the drop, had Bankies not reached the Lowland League Shotts boss John McKeown admitted relief after their West of Scotland Premier League status was secured on Sunday, as Clydebank reached the Lowland League. The Bankies' 2-0 win over Musselburgh Athletic, 3-1 on aggregate, meant that only three teams dropped down from each of the top three leagues, rather than four, had they fallen short. Shotts ended the season in 13th place, five points above Benburb, who were one of three teams dropping into the First Division. As it is, Shotts now face a derby against McKeown's local team, Rutherglen Glencairn, in their second season in the top flight. A delighted McKeown said: 'We hired Bankies TV and we're absolutely over the moon. 'We need to build on this. We're a wee bit fortunate to stay in the league due to Gartcairn's circumstances [15-point deduction] , so we're not naive enough to ignore that. 'I felt we started the league really poorly but went from strength to strength, and had we had five more games we'd have been more than safe. 'But we need to make sure that we're good to go at the end of July.' McKeown added: 'We should be nowhere near the Premier League, in terms of resources and budget, so these boys deserve all the credit. 'We have a team spirit that I don't think many clubs have, and it has kept us up.'
Daily Record
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Shotts boss on why he'll be a Clydebank fan for next fortnight as side face relegation sweat
John McKeown's side have finished outside the relegation zone in the West of Scotland Premier Division but could still go down Shotts boss John McKeown admits they face a nervy waiting game to avoid relegation - despite victory on the final day of the season keeping them out of the drop zone in the West of Scotland Premier Division. McKeown's men came from behind at home to Gartcairn on Saturday with Liam Craig's double cancelling out Adam McGowan's opener for the visitors. That was enough to keep Bonny out of the relegation zone in the top flight, as they finished five points clear of nearest rivals Benburb. However, Premier champions Clydebank's potential promotion to the Lowland League means Shotts can't celebrate survival just yet. The Bankies play East of Scotland Premier champions Musselburgh Athletic in a two-legged play-off over the next fortnight to determine who comes up to the Lowland League and if Clydebank fail, it will be bad news for Shotts. McKeown explained: 'It is all up in the air and a strange situation. There is this situation with Clydebank being promoted that is making it awkward. 'They have got to play Musselburgh in a play-off to go up to the Lowland League, but if they don't win it would mean they stay down. Broomhill, who finished bottom of the Lowland League, are getting relegated into our league, so if Clydebank don't go up it means that four teams would need to go down. 'It means it is a bit of a waiting game for us, which is really annoying. For me, that's not the way it should be but, unfortunately, that is the way the leagues have worked it. 'It is something the leagues need to look at, things like that need to be decided by your last game of the season, rather than sitting about waiting for a couple of weeks. 'Last season when Beith won the league, they didn't have the SFA licence to go up so there was no change, it was a lot more straightforward. 'Saturday should have been a big day of celebration after retaining our league status, so it does put a bit of a dampener on it, although we are hopeful Clydebank can do the job and go into the Lowland League. 'We will need to keep the champagne on ice and sit tight.' Clydebank travel to Musselburgh this Saturday, followed by the return leg at Holm Park on Sunday, May 25. And McKeown admits he will be cheering them on He added: 'I'm getting my Bankies top on as we speak! I'm just hoping they can go and do us a wee turn now. 'I don't want to curse it, but Clydebank will be the bookies' favourites. They are an excellent side and it is over two legs, so you would hope they have enough to get through. We'll certainly be supporting them.' Shotts have pulled off quite the turnaround to finish 13th in the 16-team division, having been rock bottom at the turn of the year. So McKeown is proud of his players, no matter what unfolds. He said: 'Our boys have done all they can do, which is massive. I am delighted for them and their form since the turn of the year has been magnificent. 'It was a bit subdued and we weren't getting carried away because they know it isn't completely 'job done' yet. 'We were dead and buried at Christmas. We had a good chat with them at that time, changed our shape and worked really hard. 'They have really stuck together. It would have been easy to chuck the towel in, but they've shown a real steely mentality and put themselves in a great position. We're really proud of them.'
CBS News
08-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
Long Beach oil field to be restored to public wetlands
A Long Beach oil field will soon be restored to roughly 156 acres of public wetlands. City leaders and oil operators came together Thursday at the groundbreaking ceremony on the Synergy Oil Field, where privately owned oil operations have been ongoing for over 60 years. "We are shutting down an oil field that's been here since the late 20's and we are doing a complete wetlands restoration project, to about 156 acres," John McKeown, CEO, Synergy Oil & Gas said. The wetlands park at Second Street and Studebaker Road, "Will bring the ocean back in" he said, with publicly accessible wetlands, walking trails, habitat restoration, and a nature center focused on environmental education. When asked who will benefit from this transformation, McKeown said, "The community, the environment, birds, everybody, it's actually going to be really, really neat for the community." He said the project has been in the works for about 14 years. "It's been a long time," McKeown said. Synergy is going to restore the land and decommission the oil wells. "This is a project that is good for the Southern California region. It is a project that is rare, in this day and age," Long Beach City Councilmember Kristina Duggan, Chair of Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority, said At the site where Long Beach borders Seal Beach, Duggan said it was once wetlands. "This was what we are trying to restore, to bring back a fraction of what it has been ...," she said. Mayor Rex Richardson said the project demonstrates that the city can transition away from oil production while enhancing open space. It's Part of a broader effort to restore the Los Cerritos Wetlands. Another 103 acres are set to be restored through the Southern Los Cerritos Wetlands Restoration Project in Seal Beach—led by the Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority.
Daily Record
23-04-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Shotts stung late yet again as Troon draw keeps side in relegation zone
John McKeown's men have had a bad habit of conceding costly late goals recently Shotts boss John McKeown watched his side concede yet another late equaliser on Saturday - but admitted the concession to Troon wasn't as sore as last week's late leveller by Cumnock. The Bonny are battling away at the bottom end of the West of Scotland Premier Division and sit just a point from safety after a 1-1 draw at home to Troon. The visitors netted in the 89th minute after Ally Martin's first-half penalty had Shotts on course to move out of the relegation zone for the third time in their last four games, only to concede a costly goal. A 1-1 draw at Cumnock last week was extremely painful with their equaliser coming in stoppage time, but McKeown admitted this week's didn't sting as much. He said: 'It was a wee bit different from the Cumnock game because I think Troon were chapping at the door. 'The goal was coming and they probably deserved it. They hot the crossbar a couple of times, had a wee penalty claim denied and we got a wee bit of fortune in the build-up to our goal, where there was probably a foul, so If I am being brutally honest, it wasn't as sore as recent ones. 'I thought we were maybe going to get away with and hang on for a massive three points, but Troon are an excellent side. They are probably one of the best teams we've played this season - they are right up there with Clydebank and Johnstone Burgh. 'I felt in the second half against Cumnock, we'd done enough to get the three points. On Saturday, I think if there was another five minutes played, Troon could have gone on to win it. 'But three points were well within our grasp so it is disappointing again. 'That is just the nature of this league. It is not a fluke when it starts to happen so often, it is just that these teams we are up against are so good that they tire you out, they have you sitting deeper and defending for your life until the final whistle. 'Last season [in the First Division] we were doing that to teams, hounding their boxes and scoring late on. 'This season we are on the receiving end, but we've got five games to go - four of them at home - so we just have to stay positive. 'We are taking points off of excellent sides with big resources, constantly, so we just need to stick at it.' Shotts now have a double-header this week with Johnstone Burgh visiting tonight followed by a trip to Hurlford on Saturday. McKeown added: 'We were very unfortunate not to take a point at Burgh the other week there [in a 2-1 loss]. They were down to 10 men and we have an effort cleared off the line, then they go and score at the end after a handball in the build-up. 'It is another cup final for us and we have to approach the game as if our lives depend on it.'
