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Exploring different sports at two of our Fife Clubs

Across our Scottish Clubs, we encourage members to learn about a range of sports through speakers, as well as taking part in the odd inclusive game or two. Recently, two of our Fife-based Clubs were able to enjoy some insights into the worlds of football and hockey thanks to some special visitors. 

East Fife meet Stuart Lovell 

First of the blocks was a visit to our East Fife Club at Bayview Stadium. We had the pleasure of spending the afternoon with Stuart Lovell.  

An Aussie by birth with an English father and Scottish mother he moved to Reading when he was 8. He is a product of Reading Football Club who he joined as a YTS (Youth Training Scheme) apprentice and stayed with them as they won promotion into Division 1 and was part of the team which narrowly missed out on promotion to the Premier League in 94/95.  

In 1998 Stuart moved to Hibs where in 2000/01 the team came third and were runners up in the Scottish Cup Final. The following season he moved to SPL newcomers Livingston whom he helped to finish third in their?first season in the SPL. He went onto skipper them to the Scottish League Cup in 2004, defeating Hibs in the final!  

Stuart retired from football following a 15-month spell with Queen of the South having got two caps for Australia. Following retirement Stuart moved into media work commentating for Sky and Setanta.  

Currently Stuart works as Network Programme Manager for Street Soccer while helping with Hibs TV. Interestingly Stuart was telling us that Aberdeen is the first Scottish team he supported as his mother is from Aberdeenshire and his English team is Liverpool where his wife is from.? 

Learning about Hockey at Dunfermline 

It was then Dunfermline Sporting Memories Club’s chance to welcome two experts from a less well-followed game. Douglas and Drew popped along from Dunfermline Carnegie Hockey Club.  

Hockey is a sport that doesn't come up much in conversation at our Dunfermline Club, but one of our members David is a former hockey referee who umpired up to international level. Both Douglas and Drew have fond memories of being umpired by David who was "firm but fair".  

We were told about the three-card rule which applies in hockey, a green card for foul play resulting in 2 minutes off the pitch, a yellow card for a more serious offence resulting in 10 minutes off the pitch and the dreaded red card which is for the most serious foul play resulting in a trip back to the dressing room. Douglas and Drew were telling us that our David was quite fond of using the red card! 

Interestingly, in the early days there was no time limit attached to a green card and it was left to the discretion of the umpire. On one occasion we were told of an umpire who issued a green card to a player due to their abusive language. The player then had to stand behind his team’s goal. The game reached half time and the player had still not been brought back on. The second half started with the player was still behind the goal waiting to come on. Halfway through the second half the players captain spoke to the referee to enquire when his player might come back on. The referee replied never! Perhaps football needs to take a leaf out of the hockey rule book. 

Two excellent sessions which members of both clubs really enjoyed – we are very lucky in and around Fife to have such a wealth of sporting talent willing to share with our members.