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Press and Journal
5 days ago
- Sport
- Press and Journal
Aberdeen Grammar School's Hampden heroes back together again 30 years on from famous win
The members of Aberdeen Grammar School's 1995 Scottish Schools' Senior Shield winning team were back together to toast a famous victory. The Grammar side, which included future Aberdeen captain Russell Anderson, defeated Dunfermline High School 4-2 in the final at Hampden Park to win the national competition. They remain the only team from the north-east of Scotland to have won the Senior Shield. Patrick O'Driscoll nodded Grammar in front after only five minutes before Anderson doubled the advantage with a header in the 20th minute. Steven Gilfeather put Grammar 3-0 up in the 33rd minute with a magnificent solo effort before Dunfermline fought back with two goals either side of the interval. Gilfeather put the game beyond doubt when he made it 4-2 in the 65th minute. Members of the team and their coach Mike McLeod met up on Saturday to reminisce about their Hampden triumph. Andrew Wilson, who played in goals for Grammar, said: 'It was a really nice occasion as it was 15 years since we last met up. 'Mike McLeod was there for the first part of the evening when we watched the highlights of the game and it was lovely to see him. 'He brought along a shirt signed by all the players that we'd given him at one of our earlier reunions. 'We went to the Ferryhill House Hotel for some food and then we went back to our captain Gav Hendry's house and ended up watching the DVD of the game two more times until about 3am.' Wilson said the journey through the early stages of the competition was almost as memorable as the final itself. He said: 'Along the way we played a number of teams who were probably on paper better than us but we just had enough good components and real character to win those matches in the earlier rounds. 'In several of the rounds we were behind at one point and managed to come back and win. 'I remember we played Carnoustie in the third round and we won 3-2 with a goal in the last minute. 'Somebody said 'our name is on the cup' and I didn't really take too much notice at the time but it just kept going with all these epic cup ties. 'In the following round we had to play down at Braidhurst High School, which I think is now a Scottish FA football academy. 'We won on penalties and we had to run off the pitch at the end as some of the locals started to come after us, which got a bit scary!' Former Dons captain Anderson was a key member of the victorious team but there were plenty of promising players in the Grammar ranks. Wilson said: 'Russell played in midfield for us. He was in the Dons youth set-up at the time and played for King Street Dons so he had a fair bit of juggling with the three teams. 'When we played in the final on the grand stage he really came into his own. 'He was tremendous. 'There was another guy, Paddy O'Driscoll, who went on to do a football scholarship in the United States. 'He is now running the women's team at Penn State. He gave us a video call on Saturday night. He was on a tour with his team and was speaking to us from the Copacabana Beach. 'Steven Gilfeather went to Dundee for a bit and then Raith Rovers. 'Andy McCraw played in Highland League, he was at Cove from the age of 16 for nine years. 'Gav Hendry, our captain, also played for Cove Rangers. 'Russell was the one who made it as a professional but we had enough decent players in the team.' The Grammar team were wearing the school's traditional rugby kits for the final, which gave their opponents plenty to ponder before the big match. Wilson said: 'When we were watching the DVD, something that was spoken about quite a bit was the rugby kit we had to play in. 'Our opponents got brand new kits for the cup final. 'I think they were looking at us in the tunnel before the game in our rugby kits and they weren't quite sure what to make of it. 'The kits were actually really heavy and the shorts were a bit ridiculous. Our centre-half was 6ft 3in and it looked like he was wearing hot pants!' The team intend to meet up again in five years' time. Wilson added: 'I think it is the oldest schools football tournament in the world so winning the final at Hampden is a great memory for the whole team. 'The lovely thing on Saturday was you could see everyone was delighted to be back together again. 'The oldest is 48 and youngest would have been 46. 'I think someone was saying we should try to meet up every five years. It felt like it had been too long. 'We had planned to do something for the 25 year anniversary in 2020 but then Covid kicked in and we couldn't do it. 'It was actually my Mum who filmed the game. She borrowed a video camera and took it to Hampden. 'It was lovely to watch the highlights and, looking back, we actually played some really good football.'
South China Morning Post
14-04-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Kitchee captain's ‘toughest moment in Hong Kong', tips ailing club to ‘rise again'
Captain Helio Goncalves called for a failing and demoralised Kitchee squad to 'find strength from nowhere' to help the club 'rise again'. Advertisement For the second successive year, the 12-times league champions have imploded in the closing months of the season. And, like predecessor Kim Dong-jin last season, Edgar Cardoso, the head coach, has paid for the slump with his job. After his side surrendered 4-0 at Lee Man on Saturday, Cardoso revealed he had been told he would not be staying in charge beyond the end of this campaign. The Portuguese has borne the brunt of supporters' anger, too. Veteran defender Goncalves accepted, nonetheless, that those on the field had to share responsibility for a wretched campaign. 'It's not only about the coach, we're the ones on the pitch,' he said. 'The fans are right to be angry, we understand their frustration. But when we are at the bottom, struggling … and down and sad, we need their support. It's easy to support in the good moments.' Defender Goncalves celebrates scoring for Hong Kong against Brunei in September 2023. Photo: Getty Those good moments have been few and far between since Kitchee completed a treble in 2022-23. Last season, they won only the Senior Shield. Under Cardoso this term, Kitchee have been eliminated from all three cup competitions before the final. A convincing title challenge never materialised, and recent home losses to Kowloon City and North District left them completely out of contention.
South China Morning Post
06-04-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Lee Man defender explains why underachieving Hong Kong season can have glorious finish
The accomplished Lee Man defender, Dudu, acknowledged his aspirational club had fallen beneath expectations this season, but the 34-year-old said Saturday's gritty 1-0 win at Southern gave them a 'real chance' of retaining their league title. Advertisement Champions after an unbeaten campaign last season, Lee Man have been peculiarly inconsistent this term. Tsang Chiu-tat, the championship-winning head coach, left after his team lost the opening two matches of their abortive AFC Champions League Two campaign. Replacement Matt Holland lasted only 13 games, which included Senior Shield final and FA Cup quarter-final losses, a 1-0 league defeat to leaders Tai Po, and a trio of consecutive extraordinary recoveries from two goals behind to beat North District, Kowloon City and Eastern. Dudu praised Welshman Holland for instilling 'professionalism and a British mentality'. 'He [emphasised the requirement] to take every training session seriously and give our best,' Dudu added. Advertisement Nonetheless, Lee Man's Jekyll and Hyde form has continued under caretaker boss Chu Siu-kei. The weekend's victory, and a 1-0 win against Kitchee in his opening game, sandwiched a 7-3 home defeat by Tai Po that Chu called 'unacceptable'.
South China Morning Post
30-01-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Eastern beat Lee Man to win Hong Kong's Senior Shield final
Senior Shield final: Eastern beat Lee Man to win Hong Kong season's first silverware The domestic season's first cup final goes Eastern's way at Mong Kok Stadium
South China Morning Post
29-01-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Lee Man coach vows to ‘shake club up' after questioning players' attitudes
Matt Holland has questioned the attitude and commitment of his Lee Man squad and vowed to 'shake the club up' as the defending champions prepare for Thursday's Senior Shield final against Eastern. Head coach Holland, who replaced title-winning boss Tsang Chiu-tat in November, read his players the Riot Act at half-time of their 4-3 victory over lowly North District on Saturday. 'Mr Lee [club president Norman Lee Man-yan] is amazing. He looks after people the right way, you get your salary and bonus on time – and people take it too easy here,' Holland said. 'I'm not here for an easy ride. I'm here to shake people up and shake the club up, and make sure they can win a title again. Players can't take things for granted.' Last week, Holland completed the loan signing of 33-year-old defender Ryan Tafazolli from English League One club Wycombe Wanderers. The club have allowed foreign summer recruits Jiloan Hamad and Gaizka Martinez to leave. Everton Camargo (right) tussles with Kitchee's Aaron Rey in Lee Man's Senior Shield semi-final win. Photo: Nora Tam '[Tafazolli] is a good signing for Hong Kong football – a lot of people here love football and they deserve a better league,' Holland said. 'I'm not interested in signing players who are 37 or 38 and coming for a holiday and a last pay cheque.
