Latest news with #Queen'sPark
BBC News
11 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Season predictions: Survival scramble & Adams to continue 'meteoric rise'
Where will you finish in the league and why?A fight for survival seems likely given our squad's inexperience and unfamiliarity with the Scottish Premiership. While I'm optimistic about our chances of finishing 10th, preserving our top-flight status via a nerve-shredding play-off victory would be more Falkirk-esque - we rarely do things the easy is the best signing or has he not signed yet and who should it be?Further reinforcements are needed and can be expected according to John McGlynn. As for our new arrivals, Lewis Neilson has impressed in cup matches and looks like he will fit perfectly into our possession-based style of do you want from your manager this season?To relish every moment and embrace the challenge. McGlynn has had a transformational effect since his arrival, guiding us from League One to the Premiership playing a brand of aesthetically pleasing football the supporters connect with. Regardless of how this season pans out, McGlynn will still have plenty of credit in the bank with the vast majority of Bairns will be the breakout star in your squad?Keelan Adams was our breakout star last season and he is more than capable of continuing his meteoric rise by making a splash on Scottish football's biggest stage. Signed from Cumbernauld Colts, Adams is the epitome of a modern full-back with genuine attacking is your one major concern?Our weakness when it comes to dealing with set-piece scenarios. It's an issue that has plagued us for a while and reared its head again during last week's League Cup win over Queen's Park.
Edinburgh Reporter
2 days ago
- Sport
- Edinburgh Reporter
Montgomery reflects on debut goal for Livingston
It came on his debut for Livingston who thrashed Scottish League One side, Kelty Hearts, in their final Group H game in the Premier Sports Cup. Montgomery slotted the club's second goal in the 6-0 win, the strike hitting the back of the net after 27 minutes. The Livingston-born, 23-year-old, currently on loan from Celtic, is desperate for a long run in David Martindale's newly-promoted team. The manager has certainly been impressed with Montgomery's attitude since signing and the player, who can slot into left-back, left wing-back or on the left wing, could be a big asset for the West Lothian club. Reflecting on the emphatic win, Montgomery said: 'What more can you ask for? Six goals and a clean sheet. A very good start for me and a very good end to the group for us.' Montgomeny put pen to paper at the Home of the Set Fare Arena last week and is a product of the Glasgow side's youth system. First team experience has been gained during loans with Aberdeen, St Johnstone, Motherwell and Queen's Park as well as south of the Border with Fleetwood Town. The player has also logged appearances with Celtic and ambitious Montgomery said the Livingston boss indicted how he wanted the club to play, on the front foot, pressing, and they certainly did in the first-half against depleted Kelty. Livingston were 4-0 ahead at the break but then failed to hit the net again until late-on. Montgomery admitted it was difficult to put your finger on what happened, but added: 'Second-half we made a few changes and scored a couple of goals and probably should have had more.' So, why is he at Livingston? The player said: 'The quality at Celtic is undeniable, the squad is brilliant, but, for me I want to play games and I thought this was the place to do it. 'I have still got a couple of years at Celtic, but I felt I needed as many minutes as possible and I felt this place (Livingston) was the best chance for me to do that.' A few other clubs were interested – in England and in Scotland – in signing the versatile player who said: 'Obviously, I played against Livingston last season when I was at Queen's Park. 'They play attractive football, have good football players and he (the manager) has managed to attract boys that have played at the top level, at a good level. 'We start the proper season next week and I am looking forward to that. We will go to Kilmarnock and take it to them. We have to play our game and I am confident we will get results against good sides.' Like this: Like Related
BBC News
4 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Montgomery joins Livingston on loan from Celtic
Celtic defender Adam Montgomery has joined fellow Premiership side Livingston on a season-long 23-year-old moves to the newly-promoted Lions having spent last term with Championship outfit Queen's Park, playing 14 games and scoring once. Montgomery has made 20 appearances for Celtic but hasn't featured since December 2021, with a raft subsequent loan spells including Aberdeen and St Johnstone.
Glasgow Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
Celtic youngster loan decision made after rival interest
Both clubs are managed by former Parkhead stars, [[Ayr]] by Scott Brown and Thistle by Mark Wilson, and both were keen to taking the midfielder on for the season. But the Daily Record is now reporting the decision has been taken to send the 19-year-old to Somerset Park. Celtic are in talks with the Honest Men about entering into a co-operation agreement after plans to team up with Queen's Park were binned. And pathways manager Shaun Maloney is said to have been impressed by the setup. Read more: That is why Celtic B team captain Ure will make the move, joining teammate Jude Bonnar who has already made the same move. Ure won the Celtic academy player of the year award and has been involved with the first team in pre-season, appearing against Queen's Park, Cork City, Estrela da Amadora and Sporting CP. He is highly-rated and Ayr is seen as the next stage of his development. After missing out on the midfielder, Partick Thistle still hope to land goalkeeper Josh Clarke on loan from the Scottish champions.
Hamilton Spectator
6 days ago
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Toronto council strengthens oversight of major events after watchdog flags potential FIFA risks
Toronto council has agreed to impose stronger oversight over decisions to host major events, after a municipal watchdog found that a lack of transparency around the city's bid to stage the 2026 FIFA World Cup could have exposed it to significant risks. In a report presented to council on Wednesday , auditor general Tara Anderson examined council's February 2018 decision that authorized the city manager to sign up for the bid launched by Canada, the U.S. and Mexico to host the international soccer tournament. Toronto is scheduled to host six games starting June 12, 2026. Anderson found that while council made joining the bid conditional on the federal and provincial governments pledging to share hosting costs, the city didn't get those commitments before the March 2018 deadline to join. Instead, soon after the council vote staff signed an agreement with Canada Soccer to withdraw from hosting duties if Toronto didn't get funding guarantees from the other governments by June 2020. The agreement wasn't made public at the time, and was first reported by Star last year . City staff didn't report back to council on the World Cup plans until March 2022, four years after council's 2018 decision. The update didn't provide details of the withdrawal agreement — which was extended 'multiple times,' the auditor found — or explain how staff had mitigated risks related to the lack of intergovernmental funding, which at the time the city had still not nailed down. The auditor general found staff should have reported to council earlier about the conditions for pulling out of the bid, which would have allowed councillors 'to make an informed decision to continue (to pursue hosting rights) or withdraw.' The watchdog also noted that the initial estimate staff provided to council in 2018 pegged hosting costs at between $30 million and $45 million, a figure that didn't include the price of security, which staff said at the time was impossible to predict so far before the tournament. Toronto's overall hosting costs have now risen to $380 million, with the city responsible for almost $180 million. In May 2024, the federal government pledged $104 million, and while Ontario announced in February 2024 it had conditionally committed $97 million, negotiations are ongoing over how Queen's Park's contribution will be allocated. Anderson concluded that in future, staff should include all costs that could fall under the city's responsibility in early estimates to ensure 'city council has all relevant information to make an informed decision.' 'City council's limited visibility into the agreement terms, combined with staff not providing timely updates, could have left the city exposed to potential financial, operational, and reputational risk,' the report concluded. 'It is important that when council decides to delegate authority, that staff still appropriately report back to update council in a timely manner.' In a politically charged discussion before the vote on Anderson's report, councillors quizzed the city integrity commissioner over an investigation by his predecessor into former mayor John Tory. Under questions from Coun. Paula Fletcher (Ward 14, Toronto-Danforth) and others, Paul Muldoon recounted how the October 2023 report from then commissioner Jonathan Batty found Tory broke ethics rules when he voted in 2022 to advance Toronto's World Cup plans, which are being executed in partnership with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE). At the time, Tory was in a relationship with a woman that began while she was a staffer in his office, and continued when she took a job at MLSE, where she worked on the World Cup file. Tory resigned over the relationship in February 202 3, shortly after it was revealed by the Star. According to sources, he is considering running for mayor again next year, and polls suggest he would be the biggest threat to Mayor Olivia Chow. Fletcher said that while the World Cup will be fun for the city, Toronto is being left with a '$400 million hangover' in hosting costs. Because of the lack of rigorous oversight, 'we're left wondering (whether) MLSE got a really great deal for FIFA, and maybe we didn't get the best deal for FIFA,' said Fletcher, who sits on Chow's executive committee. 'We need to be careful and squeaky clean in this city when we're making these very big financial decisions,' she said. In response to concerns about rising costs, Chow had instituted a new council governance structure for the tournament in March 2024 , which Anderson determined had strengthened oversight. The auditor's report made seven recommendations intended to improve guidelines for future international events — such as developing policies to ensure council is informed of major changes to projects delegated to staff, and drafting principles for bidding on major events, including risk assessments — each of which council either approved or enhanced.
