Latest news with #Tayside
Daily Record
a day ago
- Business
- Daily Record
Steven Pressley played for Rangers and Celtic and that takes bottle but only one thing can quell Dundee fans' revolt
'Elvis' isn't even in the building yet and his appointment has left the Dundee fans all shook up. It is fair to say Steven Pressley 's appointment as head coach has gone down like a lead balloon on the dark blue side of Tayside. They were perhaps looking for a so-called name who could excite the Dark Blue faithful. Someone they could get behind after the sacking of Tony Docherty. Pressley went through the full interview process and managing director John Nelms believes that he is the right man. Nelms went on the club's YouTube channel to explain the reason why he believes Pressley is perfect to coach the Dundee first-team. Dundee have decided to move away from the traditional managerial set-up. They have reshaped their footballing department with a new technical manager in David Longwell and a head coach, with Gordon Strachan working as a technical director above them. It is clear that the recruitment will be moved away from the manager. Nelms made it clear that they want to keep the conveyor belt of homegrown talent flowing through from the academy that has brought the likes of Lyall Cameron, Fin Robertson and Josh Mulligan through in recent seasons. A key asset for the head coach is developing players, both young and more experienced. Dundee want to do that while also winning games and competing in the top half of the Premiership. Nelms explained how Pressley has spent the last few years developing young players for Premier League Brentford, so has all the skills from that role and he has previous managerial experience. So why has Pressley's appointment been met with such resistance? Is it because he hasn't managed for more than six years since he left Carlisle United? Is it because his managerial record prior to that had been somewhat indifferent after spells at Falkirk, Coventry City, Fleetwood and Pafos? Could it be the fact that he is an ex-Dundee United player? Certainly, Nelms' last appointment when he brought in ex-United player Jim McIntyre as their manager proved a massive own goal, on and off the park. Or is it the Strachan factor? Where it is maybe perceived that the technical director has brought in another one of his friends or colleagues he has previously worked with. The old pals' act. It didn't really work when Mark McGhee came in although it is fair to say Tony Docherty was successful in his first season. Whatever the reason or reasons, it has left Pressley behind the eight ball before he even gets started. He is ready to cut short his silver wedding anniversary to start work early. It is the love of the Dundee fans he now has to try and win over. The one thing Elvis has shown throughout his career that he has never been scared of a challenge. He has played first-team football for Rangers and then later in his career went on to play for Celtic. It takes a bit of bottle and steel to do that but he did it with some distinction. Even at Hearts, he was a massive influence and one of the few who, as a player, was willing to stand up to the madcap ways of former owner Vladimir Romanov. The former Scotland star is also a good communicator and has always been a leader throughout his footballing career. A lot of his former players have also come out in support of him, claiming he is also a very good coach, even guys like James Maddison have spoken highly of him in the past. Pressley now has to put all this together and into practice at Dundee. The bottom line is results. If he wins games then that is all that matters. It doesn't matter if he is Steven Pressley or Pep Guardiola. Results on the pitch are all that matter! If Dundee win games and are successful then it will be more 'Can't help falling in love' for the Dundee fans towards Pressley. If he doesn't then it will be a case of Elvis has left the Dens Park building.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
John Swinney news, interviews and updates on the First Minister
John Swinney became Scotland's First Minister in May 2024. He replaced Humza Yousaf, who resigned after ending the Bute House Agreement with the Scottish Greens. Before this, Swinney had stepped down from his role in the Scottish Government following Nicola Sturgeon's resignation. He is the seventh person to hold the position. Read on for all the latest John Swinney news, interviews, and updates on the first minister. As reported by The Herald, here is a selection of the latest John Swinney news stories. Sarwar and Swinney accused of 'inaction on child poverty' Nigel Farage to campaign in Scotland in by-election visit Farage returns to Scotland for by-election campaign John Swinney expressed concerns about the potential societal impact of Reform UK. He told The Herald's Unspun Live podcast that he does not want to regret not doing enough during his time in office to counter their rise. He highlighted that Nigel Farage's party's campaign for the upcoming Holyrood election could "undermine... cohesion in our society." Swinney: 'Reform will have an undeniable presence - I want to stop that' John Swinney has served in both Westminster and Holyrood. The politician first stood as the MP for Tayside North from 1997 until 2001. (Image: PA) He was then elected as the MSP for North Tayside in 1999 and held both positions until stepping down from Westminster at the 2001 general election, where he was replaced by Pete Wishart. He has remained an MSP ever since. However, following boundary changes, he now represents Perthshire North. Before entering politics, Swinney was employed as a strategic planning principal with Scottish Amicable and was a business and economic development consultant for five years. He graduated from the University of Edinburgh with a degree in politics and first joined the SNP in 1979. John Swinney was elected as the First Minister of Scotland in May 2024 after Humza Yousaf resigned. Swinney, who had previously led the SNP from 2000 to 2004, was legally sworn in on May 8. Despite speculation after Yousaf's resignation, Kate Forbes (below) did not contest Swinney for the SNP leadership and now serves as the Deputy First Minister. Kate Forbes (Image: PA)Swinney made his statutory declarations and was granted his official title of First Minister and Keeper of the Scottish Seal. He described his induction as an "overwhelming moment" and an "extraordinary opportunity to change lives for the better". He told reporters after the ceremony: 'I look forward to dedicating my future to serving the people of Scotland." All pupils in Primary 1 to 5 in Scottish Government-funded schools or schools run by local councils receive free lunches during term-time. The SNP pledged to expand this to include free breakfast and lunch for Primary 6 and 7 pupils in their 2021 manifesto. However, last September, John Swinney confirmed that the government would not be continuing with this plan when he laid out his Programme for Government. Instead, the provision will only extend to Primary 6 and 7 pupils who qualify for the Scottish Child Payment. This decision, according to Swinney, was due to the need for the government to manage its spending. He attributed this financial restraint to "the austerity agenda" supported by Tory MSPs. He said this forced the Scottish Government to make cuts to its spending. John Swinney's extensive political career began in 2007 when he was tasked with the finance and sustainable growth brief. In November 2014, he was appointed as deputy first minister and Scotland's finance, constitution, and economy secretary. He served as education secretary from 2016 until 2021 before being named Scotland's secretary for Covid recovery from May 2021 until March 2023. He also served as acting finance secretary during Kate Forbes' maternity leave. After Nicola Sturgeon's resignation, Swinney decided to take a step back from his Scottish Government duties. However, following a year on the backbenches, he was once again re-elected as leader of the SNP and First Minister of Scotland. John Swinney was born in Edinburgh in 1964 and is 61 years old. He married BBC Scotland journalist Elizabeth Quigley in 2003. The couple have one child together, and Swinney is a father of three. Quigley, a well-known BBC Scotland reporter, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2000. John Swinney with his wife Elizabeth Quigley and son Matthew (Image: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire)Speaking at the 2024 SNP conference, Swinney thanked his wife for the 'sacrifices' she has made to allow him to serve as First Minister. John Swinney has described himself as 'a man of deep Christian faith.' He said this to the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme in 2023 after Kate Forbes, his Deputy First Minister, revealed she would have voted against gay marriage if she was an MSP at the time. Swinney told the broadcaster that he "profoundly disagreed" with Forbes despite his "deep religious faith".
STV News
21-05-2025
- Sport
- STV News
Lyall Cameron delighted Dundee survived drop ahead of Rangers move
Lyall Cameron revealed his delight at leaving Dundee as a William Hill Premiership club before making his move to Rangers. The 22-year-old midfielder, who signed a pre-contract with the Ibrox club earlier in the season, was a key figure in helping the Dens Park side survive a relegation battle. He scored twice in the 2-0 win at St Johnstone on the final day, which ensured a 10th-place finish, avoiding an end-of-season relegation play-off with Livingston, albeit Dundee parted ways with boss Tony Docherty. Cameron told the club's official website: 'It seems a long time ago since I made my competitive debut for the club against Raith in the League Cup at 16. 'I've learnt a lot since then and I am proud to have played as many games as I have for Dundee. 'I have decided that now is the time to move on and I want to thank everyone at the club who I've worked with over the years. 'I want to thank the fans who supported me until the very end and the ovation at the last home game was special to me and my family. 'I was delighted to end my time at Dundee on a high and help the team secure Premiership football next year.' A statement on Dundee's website read: 'Now that the 2024/25 season has ended, the club would like to place on record its thanks to Lyall Cameron for his service to Dundee Football Club as he has indicated that he will be leaving the club upon the completion of his contract.' Dundee also confirmed that Seb Palmer-Houlden, Oluwaseun Adewumi and Ziyad Larkeche have returned to their parent clubs after spending the season at the Tayside club. Attacker Palmer-Houlden, 21, joined Dundee on loan from EFL Championship club Bristol City and scored nine goals in 29 appearances for the Dens Park club. Attacking midfielder Adewumi, 20, joined from Burnley immediately after joining the English club from Austrian side Floridsdorfer AC, and scored five goals in 32 appearances, while left-back Larkeche, 22, arrived last summer from QPR and chipped in with three goals in 31 appearances. A statement on Dundee's website confirmed the trio's departures, adding: 'The club would like to thank Seb, Seun and Ziyad for all that they gave the club this season both on and off the pitch. We would like to wish them all the best for the rest of their careers.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
STV News
16-05-2025
- Sport
- STV News
Sam Cleall-Harding: Fourth place would be incredible for Dundee United
Sam Cleall-Harding has targeted a European spot when Dundee United host Aberdeen on the final day of the William Hill Premiership season at Tannadice on Saturday. The 19-year-old defender scored his first goal for the Tayside club with a header from a corner to give Jim Goodwin's side the lead against Rangers at Ibrox on Wednesday night. However, the Light Blues fought back with a Cyriel Dessers double – the second from the spot – and a strike from midfielder Nicolas Raskin to keep all three points in Govan. It was a fourth successive defeat for wobbling United who sit in fifth place, three points behind Aberdeen and one ahead of chasing St Mirren going into the final league fixture, with European places up for grabs. Academy graduate Cleall-Harding is aware of what is at stake against the Dons. He said: 'It's going to be massive and I hope I can play my part and get three points. 'If we can get that fourth position it's an unbelievable season, something to give back to the fans as well. 'We know what's at stake, a place in Europe and getting fourth would be an incredible season if we managed to get that. 'We're all determined to get that place and get the three points. 'It was a good experience playing at Ibrox and I'm happy and proud of myself to get on the scoresheet. 'But we're obviously disappointed not to get the three points that we set out to get. 'But we've got another big game on Saturday and we look forward to that.' It has been quite the journey for Cleall-Harding, who spent the first half of the campaign on loan at Kelty Hearts. He said: 'I enjoyed it at Ibrox. I want to play games, it's all I want to do. 'I was just glad to play my game. We didn't get the three points but we've got another big game Saturday to go and get that. 'We had a game plan and I thought it was working. 'Rangers are a good team and they're going to have chances. But we're obviously disappointed about the result.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
The Independent
12-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
The new ‘simple' tool which can spot heart disease risk 10 years early
A simple MRI scan could predict heart disease risk a decade before any symptoms appear, a new study suggests. Researchers at the University of Dundee analysed data from more than 5,000 volunteers in the Tayside area, collected between 2008 and 2013. At the time of data collection, none of the participants had a history of cardiovascular disease or were considered at immediate risk. However, a decade later, the research team discovered a key indicator: an increased, yet still within the normal range, mass of the heart's left ventricle. This enlargement, even in a properly functioning heart, signaled a heightened risk of future cardiovascular issues. The study also revealed gender-specific risk factors. In men, a larger left ventricle correlated with diastolic blood pressure, while in women, the link was with cholesterol levels. Ventricles are the lower 'chambers' of the heart that pump blood to different parts of the body, with the right ventricle pumping blood to the lungs, and the left ventricle supplying blood to the rest of the body. This breakthrough could pave the way for earlier intervention and preventative measures against heart disease. Study lead Professor Jill Belch, of the university's School of Medicine, described the findings as a 'very exciting and significant development'. 'We looked at thousands of health records and it became apparent that the mass of the left ventricle was a clear indicator of future risk of cardiovascular disease,' she said. 'What made our findings particularly interesting was the difference we noted between men and women. 'In men, we found that a larger left ventricle, associated with heart attack and stroke, was linked to the diastolic – the bottom measure – blood pressure. This level was what we would consider to be normal, albeit in the upper level. 'In women, we found a link between an increase in left ventricle mass and cholesterol. Again, this level was in the upper end of what we would consider normal.' She explained that the blood pressure and cholesterol levels in themselves would not have led to preventative treatment being offered. Prof Belch went on: 'We have clearly identified a very early marker of future cardiovascular disease which can be detected via a simple MRI scan. 'This is a widely available, easy to perform procedure that our study has proven to be able to identify people at risk of cardiovascular disease who may have no other identifiable risk factors, 10 years before the event. 'The ability to provide pre-emptive treatment for patients at a stage where their heart is working perfectly well could save vast numbers of lives which are cruelly taken from us as a consequence of cardiovascular disease.' She added: 'The volunteers who took part in this study had no immediate risk of heart disease. 'This is exciting as it allows us to pick up people, and treat them, before any organ damage has occurred.' Cardiovascular disease can refer to several conditions that narrow or block blood vessels, including heart attack, stroke and heart failure. While some people are susceptible for genetic reasons, a person's likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease can be increased by factors like smoking, obesity, poor diet and lack of exercise. The findings have been welcomed by the charity Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland (CHSS), which funded the study, with chief executive Jane-Claire Hudson saying they are 'proud' to have supported the research. 'Studies like this are vital in enhancing our understanding of heart and stroke conditions as well possible ways to try and prevent their occurrence or reduce their impact on those currently affected,' she said. 'This research, combined with the work CHSS delivers across the country, can help us make a positive impact to people's health in Scotland and ensure no life is half lived.'
