Review of the Sporting Year 2

Jan 4 2013 Perthshire Advertiser

JULY

St Johnstone skipper  Dave Mackay suffers a setback after an injury wrecks his European ambitions. A calf scan reveals he won’t be ready to face the Turks.

Curling skip  Eve Muirhead teams-up with Perth curling coach David Hay for the challenges ahead. David takes over the reins from Eve’s dad Gordon. The ultimate aim is gold at the Winter Olympics in Russia in 2014.

It is confirmed Saints  will face Turkish side Eskisehirspor in their Europa League qualifier with the first leg at the Ataturk Stadium. Fans firm-up travel arrangements.

Dunblane’s Andy Murray  captures the hearts of a nation with an emotional speech after losing out in the Wimbledon final. Local tennis clubs are convinced Murray’s run to the final will boost grassroots tennis.

Craigie Hill golfer  Daniel Young returns from Florida to capture the prestigious Cameron Corbett Vase at Royal Troon and Glasgow Gailes as the domestic season cranks-up. Heather Anderson wins the Scottish senior women’s matchplay title at Kemnay. The Blairgowrie player has made the final four years in a row.

St Johnstone’s Turkey trip is followed by PA Sport. Saints lose 2-0 on the park but exuberant fans win hearts and minds in the city of Eskisehirspor. It is revealed that club legend Roddy Grant is being made an associate director. The second leg ends in a 1-1 draw and Saints are out of Europe.

Local trainer Lucinda Russell  clocks up five winners at the latest Perth Races. The race track team are delighted to get the go-ahead after a series of call-offs during a soggy summer.

AUGUST

Saints kick off the season  with a defeat away to Hearts and striker Gregory Tade is red carded.

Colin Montgomerie  makes it clear he would love to captain the Ryder Cup team again at Gleneagles in 2014. But he won’t be chasing the job. “If the European Tour want me to be their captain, I will be,” he declares at the golf resort near his Perthshire home.

Emily Laird  is hailed as one of the country’s youngest golf club champions with her victory at Blairgowrie. She is just 16 when she beats international veteran Heather Anderson in the final.

Kinross-shire athlete  Eilidh Child makes up for Olympic disappointment in the hurdles by helping Team GB to the relay final at Wembley.

Dewars Centre is undergoing a vital makeover in time for the start of the curling season. Now under the Live Active Leisure umbrella, a £750,000 project is under way to give the Glover Street centre a new lease of life.

Craigie Hill’s Alan Wilson  is hailed as Scotland’s best putter after winning a competition at Gleneagles. Wallace Booth returns from injury to claim the MarHall.com Scottish Classic. PA Sport reveals the Junior Ryder Cup is coming to Blairgowrie in 2014 and Jose Olazabal uses Gleneagles to unveil his final line-up for Medinah as Paul Lawrie wins the Johnnie Walker Championship on home turf.

Perth Races marks 400 years of racing in the Fair City with a high profile event.

SEPTEMBER

Kinnoull Tennis Club toasts its 125th anniversary in style as Andy Murray chases a US Open win.

Strathtay Harriers enjoy success on the national stage with Ben Greenwood enhancing a growing reputation at U16 level.

Saints reveal losses of £233,000 despite claiming a top six place in the SPL. Chairman Steve Brown cautions that the losses can’t continue.

Perthshire RFC  and Glenalmond College hook-up for an innovative partnership project aimed at nurturing young rugby talent.

Virus-hit Saints defeat champions Celtic in Perth to get their campaign up and running.

Perth’s Mr Boxing, Billy Anderson, reflects on a lifetime dedicated to the sport in Perth. He bows out after 60 years in the corner.

OCTOBER

Steve Lomas wins the Clydesdale Bank manager of the month award and PA Sport reveals a five-game winning sequence at the top level is a new club record, matching a record set by Willie Ormond’s team in the 60s. By the end of the month Saints are in second place behind Celtic.

The rally scene  comes to Perthshire with the Colin McRae Forest Rally and Brick and Steel Ecosse Challenge luring motorsport fans to the area.

Kirsty Brodie  wins the Highland Spring Junior Masters Grand Final at Gleneagles. The 12-year-old plays out of Strathmore, which becomes one of the first clubs in the country to become an approved Development Centre.

Moncrieffe Bowling Club  members are scrapping to save their green in Craigie after council cutbacks.

A tribute dinner  is held in Perth to mark former St Johnstone chairman Geoff Brown’s service to the club, Perth and football. He becomes the first person to be honoured in the new Hall of Fame.

A Pitlochry Golf Club  charity event raises £4500 for CLIC Sargent.

PA Sport unveils  the chance for readers to be trained for next year’s Edinburgh Marathon by personal trainer Steven Bonthrone.

NOVEMBER

Steve Lomas and Steve Brown  mark their first year at McDiarmid in the respective roles as manager and chairman. Before the end of the month Alastair Stevenson returns to head-up youth development.

A Blairgowrie Golf Club  team claims fifth spot in the European Club Championships held in Cyprus. They won the Scottish title at Arbroath to fly the flag in the Mediterranean.

A black tie dinner at Perth Concert Hall which is a sell-out raises funds for Perthshire RFC and the Bill McLaren Foundation. Former Welsh international Gareth Edwards is among the speakers.

Netball star Laura Gibson  is hailed as Scotland’s U-21 player of the year at the Netball Scotland awards ceremony in Glasgow.

Kinross cricket coach  James Ross is short listed for GB Coach of the Year and rubs shoulders with the elite at a ceremony in London. He is already hailed as Scotland’s young coach of 2012 and has developed cricket for the disabled in Perth and Kinross.

Murray Davidson gets a run from the bench in Scotland’s friendly win over Luxembourg to become St Johnstone’s first full Scotland international since Sandy McLaren in 1932.

Perth Railway Amateur Boxing Club celebrates success at the national novice championships. Robert Allan makes the semi-finals of the 60kg youth section.

DECEMBER

Steve Lomas  gets an eight match touchline ban after a row with officials in a draw at Celtic.

Strathallan youngsters have a day to remember at Murrayfield but lose out in the Brewin Dolphin final to Merchiston Castle.

Eve Muirhead has to settle for silver in the defence of her European title in Sweden. The Blair Atholl skip loses out in a close final to the Russians.

Perth snooker player Scott Donaldson is in action at Ravenscraig in his first pro championship on home soil.

Perth-based Arbroath boss Paul Sheerin guides the part-timers to a shock cup draw at Celtic Park, with several Fair City players in the ranks.

Tributes flow in for curling legend and Big County farmer John Bryden who dies at 85. He was a former world champion.

Perthshire RFC  are on to a world record for touch rugby after hundreds don Santa outfits at Mains of Huntingtower.

Local duo Colin Montgomerie  and Ken Schofield learn learn they are to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame and Museum in Florida in 2014.