Latest news with #non-Glasgow
Scotsman
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Hibs winning SWPL title proves 'money can't buy everything' in pro era
Unexpected league glory can only enhance drive to make top flight more entertaining Sign up to our Hibs football 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... With just a few short lines, Grant Scott cuts straight to the heart of the miracle. And lays bare exactly why Hibs winning the SPWL title might just be the best thing to ever happen in this new era of professional women's football in Scotland. 'It just shows you money doesn't buy you everything, doesn't it?' says Scott, the experienced gaffer adding: 'I think we're perfectly entitled to say that. There's a lot of team spending a lot of money - and we have to be sensible with what we do.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad There you have it. Not merely an attempt to add perspective to Hibernian Women's first SWPL title since 2007. But an explanation of the hard graft that has helped Hibs do more than just cling to the coat tails of the most well-resourced clubs in the country. As the women's game looks to launch itself on a new course of full-time commitment and genuine competition across the board, the value of a truly great story – an underdog tale of triumph against the odds – cannot, or at least should not, be underestimated. Here is proof, if proof were needed, of a strength in depth that can only reflect well on an elite division about to be cut in size. If Hibs winning the league can't provide the part-time clubs in a new 10-team top flight with the financial muscle needed to go fully professional, the example set by their season of glory does at least offer encouragement to teams not graced with the deep pockets of the big three – Rangers, Celtic and Glasgow City. If Hibs can not only close the gap but become the first non-Glasgow side to finish top of SWPL1 in 18 years, why shouldn't other economic middleweights dare to dream? Rangers wage bill massively outstrips Hibs spending power Just to put the finances in context, a handful of the top earners at Rangers would, over the course of the season, probably account for HALF of Hibs Women's entire wage bill. Along with Celtic, they also have the strength of their global brand to attract recruits. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Yes sir, I can boogie ... Siobhan Hunter celebrates with the SWPL trophy in the away dressing room at Ibrox. | SNS Group Glasgow City, proud of their pioneering role in the professional era and winners of 14 consecutive SWPL titles during their most dominant period, continue to invest. Runners-up to Hibs on this occasion, a position the Hibees themselves have occupied on SEVEN different occasions since that 2007 triumph, City are guaranteed to bounce back. Champions League prize has Scott declaring: 'We want more!' While Scott looks forward to taking Hibs into the Champions League, then, it's going to be interesting to see what happens next, in a wider context. There will inevitably be discussions about how to build on this most surprising – but entirely deserved – victories. As the authorities bank on cutting the top division as a way of eliminating – or at least reducing the chances of – those horrible one-sided hammerings as full-time teams swat aside the part-timers, they'll understand that genuine competition at the top end of the table can only enhance the image of the SWPL. If you consider the excitement generated every time any team outside of the Old Firm even LOOKS like mounting an SPFL title challenge, well, you'll understand what this could do for growing the game. Scott, reflecting on what has been achieved but already looking forward to new challenges in his second stint as Hibs boss, said: 'We've done it together. I'm immensely proud. I think it's a brilliant position for this club to have come from and now be in. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'But you know what? We're all competitors. We want more. I hope they rest up and go again in the summer. 'Yeah, Europe will be interesting. I've obviously had a taste of it before. I know how tough it can be. I've had a couple of tough results and performances in Europe with this club. 'But we're in a better place now. You always want a favourable draw. If we can get a decent draw, there's no reason why this group can't compete on any stage. 'I'm thrilled with the group. I think there's a real special quality in them. I can't quite put my finger on it. 'People talk about togetherness. And there's a desire, the hunger to do things well. To keep working.'
BBC News
26-02-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Pupils fear being 'abandoned' if Glasgow sport school closes
Pupils are at a closure threatened school dedicated to sporting excellence fear they may be "abandoned" if it fails to secure financial future of Glasgow School of Sport, based at Bellahouston Academy, will be decided later at a meeting of the council's city administration school allows pupils to take less subjects in exchange for sports coaching during school parent told BBC Scotland News: "It feels like they've pulled the rug from under our feet because this is what we signed up for." The school is the only one of its kind dedicated to sporting excellence in Scotland and pupils are selected from across the country based on their abilities.A council report said that it could be replaced by a bursary scheme in June 2026, and pupils would shift to "excellence programmes" delivered by the governing bodies of each sport. The school opened in 1998 and the 65 pupils who attend it specialise in one of five sports - athletics, badminton, gymnastics, hockey and swimming - with dedicated coaching taking place alongside regular academic Junnor, who's son Charlie specialises in badminton, said she found out about the decision online."It's horrendous because there's been no notice and we've not been consulted on this," she said. "If this is something so significant that it will affect our children's education and their sporting career, they could have at least been open with us. "They're making these kids feel like they don't matter." Charlie is in S3 and he has dropped two subjects in order to include badminton training as part of his timetable."He's in a position now where he contemplating having to leave school at the end of S4," said Ms Junnor. "There's almost a bit of panic in it. "That would be half of his training hours a week gone and we don't know how to fill that gap. He's already training at night and the weekend. "And how will the school fill his day when he's dropped ten hours off his timetable and he's not studied some of these subjects for over two years?"Charlie said it would feel like the school was "abandoning" him if it closed."The school has produced quite good athletes and it's the only one in Scotland," he said."It would be quite stupid to close it down. I think it would affect good junior athletes in the country."It's in my head that I might not have this next year and it could affect me in my future."A freeze on new pupils was introduced in 2024, due to the city council and Glasgow Life seeking funding support for the school. 'Postcode lottery' Council papers state that although 62% of the school's pupils come from outside Glasgow, "both the Scottish government and local authorities indicated they were not able to provide financial support".As a result, the report found "this equates to Glasgow spending circa £380k on the education of non-Glasgow pupils each school session".Ms Junnor, who lives in Renfrewshire, fears a new bursary scheme will only apply to Glasgow-based added: "It seems to be a postcode lottery which is a real shame because these kids don't play for their local council, they play for Scotland."It seems like if you're not from the Glasgow area, you can attend the school but you're on your own. There's no coaching, no physio, no anything."She also said it was "ignorant" to suggest Badminton Scotland could take on the cost of funding a similar programme. Clare Martin, who's son Alfie also plays badminton at the school, said parents were told that the school was examining the effectiveness of the school's structure last year."But they held all the information back about how serious it was," she said. "And nobody ever mentioned that it would be getting closed."She said such a move would be "devastating" for Alfie, who has been tipped as a future Commonwealth or Olympian athlete."Glasgow Council has decided to host the next Commonwealth Games and they're wanting to shut the School of Sport down in the same year," she added. "It's not a good look."She said parents had written to the school but so far they had heard nothing back."It would mean Alfie might need to move to a school in East Kilbride that he's never been to," she added. "He's worried about his future."Everybody is very angry that we haven't been given the full information and we're unsure about what's going to happen next." Former pupils at the school include swimmer Michael Jamieson, an Olympic and Commonwealth Games silver medallist, and badminton player Kirsty Gilmour said the school gave her "the perfect balance of getting my education while really having that focus on sport"."Being able to do sport and school at the same time was so good," she said. "And the fact it was free and just a normal public school was so valuable. "It's really sad that kids aren't going to get that same opportunity. I hope there's something that can happen to boost them."It was absolutely crucial for me and I don't know if I would have stood in as good stead going into senior badminton without the School of Sport."A Glasgow Life spokesperson said: "The current School of Sport model was introduced more than 25 years ago and was designed to meet the needs of pupils from across Scotland at the time. "Since then, national funding for governing bodies of sport has improved the support they offer prospective athletes considerably, offering multiple pathways to elite sports competition. "In considering whether Glasgow School of Sport offers the appropriate model in the wider national context, we have also proposed a new way to support young athletes from Glasgow to achieve their full potential."
BBC News
24-02-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Glasgow sporting excellence school could close
A Glasgow school dedicated to sporting excellence could close and be replaced by a bursary scheme due to difficulty securing financial future of Glasgow School of Sport, based at Bellahouston Academy, will be decided on Thursday at a meeting of the local authority's city administration committee.A report regarding the school, run by the city council and Glasgow Life, suggests a "transition" period for pupils would conclude by June 2026, after other local authorities and the Scottish government said they could not provide funding. Parents of pupils at the school told BBC Scotland News the closure would be a "huge loss" for young athletes. Glasgow Life told BBC Scotland News the school's future was uncertain due to the question of whether it offered "the appropriate model" for young athletes. However a parent at the school told the BBC she had only found out about the decision said: "A closure of this is a huge loss to pupils on a sports and academic level, leaving them with fewer national qualifications and no training facility, coaching or funding for their remaining years at Bellahouston Academy." The school opened in 1999 and the 65 pupils who attend it specialise in one of five sports - athletics, badminton, gymnastics, hockey, and swimming - with dedicated sports coaching taking place alongside regular academic pupils at the school include swimmer Michael Jamieson, an Olympic and Commonwealth Games silver medallist, and badminton player Kirsty Gilmour. A freeze on new pupils was introduced in 2024, due to the city council and Glasgow Life seeking funding support for the school. A report by Bailie Annette Christie, the city convener for culture, sport and international relations, states that although 62% of the school's pupils come from outside Glasgow, "both the Scottish government and local authorities indicated they were not able to provide financial support."As a result, the report found "this equates to Glasgow spending circa £380k on the education of non-Glasgow pupils each school session." Bursary plan The report adds that other organisations - including sportscotland, the Scottish Institute of Sport and various national governing bodies - were contacted regarding states: "None of these organisations are able to financially support the GSOS, with their focus being on their performance and excellence programmes."Pupils would continue to study at Bellahouston for the next two years, with "pupil athlete plans" in place for that affected students could then continue their education at the school beyond 2026, while their sporting efforts would shift to "excellence programmes" delivered by the governing bodies of each sport.A new sports bursary would then launch in June 2026, coming in the same year as the Commonwealth Games takes place in Glasgow.A spokesperson for Glasgow Life said: "The current School of Sport model was introduced more than 25 years ago and was designed to meet the needs of pupils from across Scotland at the time. "Since then, national funding for governing bodies of sport has improved the support they offer prospective athletes considerably, offering multiple pathways to elite sports competition. "In considering whether Glasgow School of Sport offers the appropriate model in the wider national context, we have also proposed a new way to support young athletes from Glasgow to achieve their full potential."
