Three Golden Doubles

Before this Commonwealth Games the most golds that Scotland managed to win in the pool was 2 and the last time that was acheived was in 1974 when David Wilkie won both the Golds in question (200m breaststroke and 200m individual medley)

When Gregor Tait won one of the titles Wilkie won 32 years previously the, 200m individual medley, to add to his 200m backstroke title, he was just one of three Scottish swimmers in these games to match Wilkie in Scotland's most sucessful swim team ever.

Caitlan McClatchey having already been a surprise in the 200m freestyle took the title in her favoured 400m freestyle this morning. She had won bronze at this distance in the 2004 Athens Olympics. Yesterday, David Carry added the other individual medley title over 400m to his 400m freestyle crown to make it a Scottish 1-2 with Euan Dale in his wake.

Considering that Scottish team bosses said they were looking for 15 medals from these games I don't think anybody was expecting to find 10 of them coming from the pool.

Pool of Gold for Scots

Caitlin McClatchey shocked Ozzie swim fans by lifting the first gold in the Aquatic Centre, Melbourne in the Commonwealth Games. Earlier in the day she broke the Scottish record for the 200m freestyle being the first Scottish Women to swim the distance under two minutes and was the fastest qualifier for the final. She was up against Libby Lenton who Australians were looking to win seven golds for the team.

Lenton went out strong and was leading at the last turn, however the sprinter from Australia was overhauled in the last 50 metres by the 400m specialist from Scotland to take the first swimming Gold in a time of 1:57.51 a Games Record.

A second Scottish Gold came soon after in the men's version of McClathcey's favoured event the 400m freestyle. David Davies of Wales who is expecting gold in the 1500m event was leading for the first half of the race. However, as the Welshman faded in the closing stages David Carry of Scotland and Canadian Andrew Hurd took to the front. However, the Scot prevailed in a time of 3:48.17.

On the velodrome Chris Hoy could only manage bronze this time behind Ben Kersten AUS and Jason Queally ENG. However, it still means that Scotland are second in the medal table with only Australia ahead with 3 golds.

Meanwhile it looks like the guys I used to play against of play in tournaments with regularly, the Northern Irish bowlers, are off to a good start. Hopefully a few Northern Irish medals will be coming from the green again this Games.

No Slam this Year

It has been a good weekend for many rugby followers, my apologies to Peter Black and and the whole plethora of English Lib Dem Bloggers. As an Irishman resident in Scotland it has been a glorious weekend. We are three weeks into this years six nations and already no country is on course for a Grand Slam and only Italy are really out of the running for winning this season.

With Scotland beating the previously unbeaten English at Murrayfield yesterday, I wish I'd not attempted to change trains at Haymarket at 4:45 yesterday and Ireland beating Wales this afternoon, I'm one happy rugby fan. Now there are four countries with a 2-1 record, England, France, Ireland and Scotland. It makes all the matches in the last two weeks vitally important.

I'm just happy that Ireland are not scheduled to play Scotland during Scottish conference weekend this year. A couple of years back at the BBC reception on the Friday night the head of BBC Scotland addressed the delegates by saying I hope you will all be cheering on Scotland as they take on Ireland in tomorrow evenings tie. I said out load not all of us, know the people to the left hand side would expect nothing less, only to turn to my right and see the then Scottish leader Jim Wallace smiling broadly at my comment. Fortunately he has not borne me a grudge. Although I am led to believe we were cheering on different teams at Murrayfield last year.

Mind you Ireland have the last game of this years six nations on 18th March when we take on England at Twickenham. Who knows how important that game will turn out to be for both teams?

Scottish Success

Well done Andy Murray on becoming the youngest Brit to win an ATP title. At 18 years 9 months he is 1 year and 1 month younger than Greg Rusedski and 3 years 7 months younger than Tim Henman. Also encouraging is that he has achieved this peak a full year younger than Roger Federer, who he has already played and although beaten was not humiliated.

I know that we shouldn't put pressure on him but I'm impressed he beat Andy Roddick and Lleyton Hewitt on sucessive nights at the end of a tournament so I think we can say his suspect fitness is getting eliminated and pyschologically he is taking on the big players and aiming for success. Unlike Henman, grass may not be his best surface but I'm sure the Wimbledon crowd will be encouraging him all the way when he next appears in SW19.

Return of Robbo

So I walk into the Lothian Liberal Democrats meeting last and the first question I’m asked is not, who am I backing, what did I think of Dunfermline or what did I think about Charles. No, the first thing I was asked was what did I think about the return of Robbo. Somehow during the day I had missed the news that John Robertson was returning to Almondvale to take over as manager of Livingston.

There has been much speculation with each management crisis over recent years when Robertson would be asked to take the helm of the club he earned his coaching badges with. However, having gone via Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Hearts and Ross County he has now returned to the club he ended his playing career with just when we need an experienced and enthusiastic manager to keep us in the SPL.


Obviously his experiences with Vladimir Romanov at Hearts has caused some heartache to Robbo as he has asked for a clause to be put in his contract that he alone is responsible for first team selection. Well I suppose that will leave us Livi fans in no doubt then on the park who to blame. Only joking John, welcome back.

And in Sports

Paul Dalglish, son of Kenny, and Livingston's highest goal scorer of the 2005-2006 season has been sold for a nominal fee and in return Sam Morrow. Now I'm no expert but if you are bottom of the SPL and struggling to get goals getting rid of the guy who scored most for someone who has scored none all season looks like a potential nomination for the Darwin awards.

Considering the club had offered Dalglish an extended contract in December this sudden turn around in events takes some understanding.

Scotland to Cheer on Trinidad and Tobago

My prediction for the world cup is that there will be a high demand for Trindad and Tobago shirts here in Scotland.

With Dundee keeper Kelvin Jack, Rangers defender Marvin Andrews, Falkirk Midfielder Russell Latapy Dundee United Striker Colin Samuel and St. Johnston Striker Jason Scotland all hailing from Trindad and Tobago, not to mention Dwight Yorke, Shaka Hislop, Dennis Lawrence, Scotland fans loved England's world cup draw.

Devon Mitchell, Errol McFarlane, Jerron Nixon, Anthony Rougier, Brent Sancho, Arnold Dwarika and Lyndon Andrews have also all had spells in Scottish football. They even have a Gary Glasgow on the squad who like Scotland is aptly named though has never played in Scotland. Indeed the full list of clubs in Scotland for whom these players have plied their trade is Rangers, Dundee, Dundee United, Falkirk, Hibernian, Livingston, St. Johnston, Raith Rovers and East Fife.

In fact if you see the full list of players who are currently playing in Britain it makes some interesting reading:

Chris Birchall (Port Vale), Russel Latapy (Falkirk), Jason Scotland (St Johnstone), Stern John (Derby), Kenwyne Jones (Southampton), Kelvin Jack (Dundee), Marvin Andrews (Rangers), Dennis Lawrence (Wrexham), Carlos Edwards (Luton), Shaka Hislop (West Ham), Brent Sancho (Gillingham), Hector Sam (Wrexham)

So be prepared for cheers of Marv, Marv, Super Marv, Super Marvin Andrews whenever a ball is cleared from defense leaving Owen, Rooney or even Crouch looking stupid.

Best's Final Journey 3

Here is the text of the poem that Calum Best son read by Belfast woman Julie McClelland, the one that brought him and me to tears earlier today.

Farewell our friend, but not goodbye.
Your time has come, your soul must fly.
To dance with angels, find the sun,
But how we'll miss our special one.

He walks among us just a while,
Weaved your magic, made us smile.
Your life was so full of light and tears,
We lived it through you, through the years.

The golden days, they went so fast.
The precious times, why can't they last?
So many loved you, did you know?
We were not ready to let you go.

The stars from Heaven are only lent.
A gift from God, that's why they're sent.
We won't forget our Belfast boy,
He filled our lives with so much joy.

Your star will shine now in the sky.
Farewell our friend, but not goodbye.

I've just being reading the comments on the BBC website and am astounded at the number of people complaining about the coverage amongst all the tributes. Why now? Why today? Why mock a man for the disease of alcoholism? Something which as his doctor put so eloquently today he was made too well by the transplant that he returned to drink.

Many of the comments however do refer to the fact that yet again today George Best has done more to unite the people of Northern Ireland than many a politician has tried and been unable to do.

Best's Final Journey 2

Since I last wrote I've been griped by the coverage on the television. I tried to identify the scarfs that were thrown unto the hearse. As well as Northern Ireland and Manchester United I'm sure I also spotted Linfield and Celtic showing that yet again George has united the people of Northern Ireland.

The service was very moving. The second poem that Callum read out got to me as well so I'm not surprised he reached the point of tears. Hearing all the anecdotes for his friends, family and doctors shows the light he will be remembered in. Yes there was the down side but he was a light that was extinguished too early.

Best's Final Journey

I have the TV playing in the background showing live pictures from the Cregagh Estate as the funeral procession of George Best prepares to pass through thousands of mourners to Stormont. Already in scenes reminiscent of Diana flowers are being thrown from the masses unto the hearse in what is the biggest funeral in Northern Irish history.

The location of the funeral service is somewhere I used to walk to during my lunch breaks from one of the government departments just off the estate. It's at the top of a mile long wide avenue that leads up to Parliament Buildings and will undoubtedly provide exception pictures of crowds later on today as the masses stand either side of Prince of Wales Avenue watching the service on big screens.

Best marks a period of Northern Ireland football history where the fans did not care which side of the community the players came from, it was a form of escapism. Sadly for the last few years Neil Lennon has been hounded out of the Northern Ireland team by sectarianism. Best debuted alongside Pat Jennings, two young lads from different sides of the community who both enter the hearts of al football fans in the province.

It is a shame that in relative peace the national football team has become a target of sectarianism, while at the heights of the troubles it was one thing we could agree upon, largely.