Scottish Veterans LX Hockey Club 2015

2015 was notable for the appointment of Murray Paton as Club Coach and subsequently international selector for Scotland Over 60, Over 65 and Over 70. The year began with a draw between Scottish Thistles and a Cumbria select at Glasgow Green in February, and the following month an 11 player squad finished fourth in the Jacques Levy Tournament in Lille. Thistles lost to an Isle of Man squad in April and took part once more in the Dragons Festival in Swansea in July, finishing up the season by participating in the Tournament Trophy at the European Cup in Southgate, London, in August.

Scotland Over 70 played their first ever international later in March, losing 2-0 to England Over 70 at Durham after the squad had beaten the England Over 75 squad 3-0 the previous day. April saw Scotland playing in the Celtic Cup in Bangor, Northern Ireland, where the Over 65 team won their Celtic Cup, while the Over 60s came second to Ireland. Scotland hosted the Home Internationals at Peffermill in July and once again England won both the Over 60 and Over 65 trophies, Scotland finishing third in both competitions. The European Cup at Southgate in August saw Scotland field a Senior Grand Masters (Over 70) side for the first time in a major tournament, and they claimed bronze after a 2-1 win against Germany in the 3rd/4th place final. Scotland Grand Masters (Over 60) finished in a creditable fourth place, Spain pipping them for bronze. Scotland did not enter a team in the Great Grand Masters (Over 65) competition. The international season concluded in October/November with a third place (but no medals) in the Pacific Rim Tournament in Kuala Lumpur for a mixed age Scotland team which beat Japan in the 3rd/4th place final after drawing 1-1 with England in the group stage.

Draw for Scottish Thistles v Cumbria

After a postponement caused by snow, the return fixture against Cumbria Masters finally took place on Tuesday 26 February 2015. Peter Robertson's wonder strike for the Thistles' goal was the highlight.

AGM - New Committee

At the AGM on Sunday 8 March 2015, it was agreed that the posts of Fixture and Match Secretary would be abolished and the duties undertaken by the postholders distributed among ordinary committee members, whose number was increased from two to four. The new committee is Kieran McLernan (President); Ian Downie (Secretary), Peter Monaghan (Treasurer); John Connaghan, Peter Gordon, Gordon Loudon and Glenn Paton (Ordinary Members).

Scottish Thistles fourth in Lille

Scottish Thistles travelled to Lille with a squad of only 11 players for the annual tournament, now renamed the Jacques Lévy tournament after the death of Jacques in 2014. A good performance in the group stages saw them finish in second place but they lost the semi final against Welsh Dragons by 2-1 in a penalty shoot out and finished in fourth place after a 1-0 defeat by France A in the 3rd/4th place match. results and reports.

Scotland lose first ever Over 70 International

Scotland Over 70 played a warm up match in Durham on Wednesday 25 March 2015, beating the England Over 75 squad 3-0 with goals from Morrice, McLernan and Paterson.

In the full international against England Over 70 the following day, England proved too strong and Scotland went down 2-0. reports

Scottish Thistles v Isle of Man Select

On the eve of many players travelling to the Celtic Cup in Northern Ireland, Scottish Thistles went down 4-2 (or maybe it was 5-2 as reports conflict) against a much younger Isle of Man touring side on Thursday 23 April at Glasgow Green. Scorers for Scottish Thistles were Chris Flight (ex Harris FP, loaned by the opposition) and Alan Parker. report

Scotland Win GGM Celtic Cup in Ireland

The holders, Scotland Over 60s, contested the Grand Masters Celtic Cup being played for the first time in Northern Ireland over the weekend of 24-26 April 2015. They took on France, Ireland and Wales and were gunning for yet another victory. Scotland got off to a flying start, beating France 7-1 in their first match on Friday 24 April, but couldnot overcome Wales the following day, the match ending 0-0, leaving them with the task of at least drawing with Ireland to retain the cup. It was not to be, Scotland losing 3-1 to Ireland, winners of the trophy for the first time.

Scotland Over 65s, current holders of the Great Grand Masters Celtic Cup, contested once again only with Wales after a French attempt to raise a team failed. The first match played on Friday 24 April ended in a 1-1 draw and a goal from Colin Gallacher won the decider for Scotland on Saturday 25 April, the match ending 1-0 for Scotland.

results and reports

Club Coach

We were delighted to announce ahead of the Home Internationals in Edinburgh that we have appointed Murray Paton, son of Glenn, as Club Coach.

Clean Sweep for England in Home Internationals

England once again took both cups in the 2015 Home Internationals, their Grand Masters and Great Grand Masters sides posting 100% records against the other Home Nations. Losses for both sides on Sunday 12 July left both Scotland teams in third place at Peffermill, the Great Grand Masters going down 7-0 to England and the Grand Masters losing 3-1 to Wales. England Grand Masters safely saw off Ireland 2-0 in the final match. Scotland Grand Masters ran England close in the crucial match on Saturday 11 July but failure to take their chances saw them lose 2-0 to England. Ireland and Wales drew 1-1, leaving Scotland needing to beat Wales by a large margin and hope for an Irish win against England on the last day. On the first day of the tournament, a collapse in the final six minutes of the opening match in the tournament saw Scotland Great Grand Masters lose three late goals to go down 4-1 to Wales. In the Grand Masters competition, England never looked back after scoring four in the first quarter against Wales, running out 7-1 winners. The final match, between Scotland and Ireland Grand Masters, was a much closer affair, Scotland edging out the Irish 2-1.

results and reports

tournament programme (PDF, in new window)
John Connaghan with his CBE

CBE for John Connaghan

Congratulations to John Connaghan, one of the Scotland Over 60 squad in the 2015 European Cup, who was made a Commander of the British Empire in the Queen's Birthday Honours List published on 13 June.

Scottish Thistles Social Team at Swansea

Scottish Thistles came out of the 2015 Dragons Festival in July 2015 with the award for social team of the tournament. The hockey was a different story, though it would have been different if they had taken their chances. report

Murray Paton appointed Selector

Murray Paton, our club coach, was appointed sole selector for international teams going forward. While Murray will consult as appropriate, there will be no selection committee as such. His first task (following the Forthbank session on Sunday 13 September) would be to select the Scotland Over 60 and Over 65 squads to play in the World Cup in Australia.

Eurohockey Bronze for Scotland Over 70

Eurohockey 2015 - Bronze medal for Senior Grand Masters won by Scotland

Scotland Senior Grand Masters, playing in their first tournament at Over 70 level, won Bronze in the European Cup at Southgate, London, beating Germany 2-1 in the play off for 3rd and 4th places with goals by Alan Bremner and Sandy Weir. Unfortunately, their Over 60 counterparts failed to emulate them, having to settle for fourth in the Grand Masters tournament after losing 3-0 to Spain. Scottish Thistles, playing in the Grand Masters Tournament Trophy for national second teams and non-national sides, finished in sixth place.

results
Grand Masters reports
Senior Grand Masters reports
Scottish Thistles reports
tournament website (new window)

Scotland third in KL

Scotland Grand Masters finished in a fine third place in the Pacific Rim Tournament in Kuala Lumpur, beating Japan 1-0 (Ogilvie) in the 3rd/4th place final on 1 November 2015 to maintain their undefeated record in the tournament. They had narrowly missed out on a place in the final to eventual winners, England, on goal difference.

Scotland squad and WAGs at Pacific Rim Tournament Kuala Lumpur 2015

In the group stages, Scotland played in Group B with Alliance, Egypt, England, Southern Cross A and B while the Asian sides competed in Group A for the Asian Cup, won by Malaysia. They started with a well earned 1-1 draw against England and followed up with a resounding 6-0 victory over Southern Cross B. The third scheduled match against Egypt was treated as a training session, Egypt having a team full of younger players. Scotland ground out a 2-1 win against Southern Cross A and finished the group stages with a convincing 4-0 win against Alliance, ending with a goal difference of 11, still not enough to stop England from claiming first place in the group with an even better goal difference.

fixtures, results and reports