The Rampant Scotland Newsletter - your weekly insight into what has been happening in Scotland, snipped from the Scottish media, for Scots in Scotland and abroad, bringing you news, events plus a Scottish magazine section. Printed with 100% recycled electrons.Previous editions of this Newsletter are available in the Archive> and the Index to the other pages of the Rampant Scotland site is available here>.
The Scottish Snippets Newsletter in its original format began in April 1997 and continued in an unbroken series for 591 issues. Although no longer produced in that format there is now a regular update on the new and updated pages on the Rampant Scotland site and also "Scottie's Diary" on an intermittent basis, To receive this, kust send an e-mail to Scottie with "Subscribe Newsletter" in the subject line.
Current Affairs
Historical Affairs - Topical Items from Scotland's Past
Entertainment
Sport
In the First Division, the two top teams Partick Thistle and St Johnstone battled it out - and the Perth side came out on top. With a better goal average, Saints are now above Partick, though both teams have 23 points. Gretna have come storming back and are third with 21 points, with Hamilton only below them on goal difference. Airdrie United are just one point behind Queen of the South at the foot of the First Division.
Greenock Morton sit 6 points ahead of Stirling albion at the top of the Second Division, with Forfar trailing 8 points below Stranraer at the other end of the table.
In the Third Division, East Fife are in the lead, with Dumbarton and Queens Park 7 points behind. Elgin is trailing at the foot of the Third Division, with 3 points fewer than East Stirling.
In the BT Scotland Rugby Division 1, Currie are out in front, with 6 points more than Ayr. Aberdeen are struggling at the foot of the table, 4 points behind Hawick. Magazine Section
Where else would you like to go in Scotland?
Majority of Scots Now Voting for Independence
A majority of those responding to an opinion poll run by the Scotsman newspaper have said they favour independence for Scotland. The margin was slim - just 51% - but it is the first time since 1998 that an opinion poll has produced a majority for independence. Some of the shift may be due to disillusionment with the UK government led by Tony Blair, particularly over the Iraq war. The Scottish National Party (SNP) has spoken out against the conflict since it was first mooted. With the election for the Scottish Parliament in May next year, the poll also showed that 32% supported the Scottish National Party, two points ahead of the Labour Party. A coalition of Labour and Liberal Democrats has formed the government since the devolved parliament was set up in 1999. If this week's poll is translated into seats at Holyrood, once again no party would have an outright majority. But Labour would still be the biggest party, with 41 seats, the SNP would have 37, Liberal Democrats 25, Conservatives 17, Greens 5 and others 4. But a lot can happen in politics in six months...
Progress on Mortality Rates for Killer Heart Diseases
The latest report from the Scottish Executive on mortality rate figures for heart disease and stroke, show progress is being made in targeting these diseases. It claims that fewer Scots are dying from heart disease and stroke, emergency services have improved and treatment is quicker. Death from coronary heart disease fell by 5.2% between 2004 and 2005 and the mortality rates for cerebrovascular disease (which includes stroke) fell by 8.4%. Challenges remain, of course, particularly amongst those living in poorer areas. The Scottish Executive target is to achieve a 60% reduction in coronary heart disease mortality between 1995 and 2010 and a 50% reduction in cerebrovascular disease mortality in the same time frame.
Scottish Economist on Bank of England £20 Note
The Bank of England has decided to replace the image on its £20 banknote of the English composer Sir Edward Elgar, with the Scottish economist Adam Smith. There is an obvious connection between the Kirkcaldy-born "father of economics" and proponent of free trade with the UK's central bank. However, it may just be a coincidence, of course, but Gordon Brown, the present Chancellor of the Exchequer and more than likely the next UK Prime Minister, also just happens to have been born in Kirkcaldy too. The announcement was made at St Bryce Kirk in the "Lang Toun" as the Governor of the Bank of England delivered the annual Adam Smith Lecture. This will be the first time that a Scot has appeared on a Bank of England note. The Edward Elgar Society expressed their displeasure as it will be the composer's 150th anniversary next year and "their" note will start to be replaced in the spring. The Governor paid tribute to Adam Smith as a man of the Scottish Enlightenment, describing his book "The Wealth of Nations" as "remarkable by its comprehensive and eclectic examination of ideas and facts." The Bank of England Governor courted some controversy, however, when he remarked "Next year we celebrate the tercentenary of the Act of Union, an act strongly supported by Adam Smith." The Governor also acknowledged that the Bank of England had been founded by a Scot - William Paterson. (It was an Englishman, John Holland, a London merchant, who was most closely association with the foundation of the Bank of Scotland, however).
Golden Eagle as Scotland's National Symbol?
For such a small country, Scotland has quite a number of national symbols which are recognised around the world - from thistles, the lion rampant and the Saltire flag to tartan, kilts and bagpipes, far less the many historical figures. But now, following a successful campaign by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), the Scottish Parliament's enterprise and culture committee is actively pursuing the idea of officially adopting the golden eagle as Scotland's national bird. They have commissioned a series of studies into the proposal. And the politicians want to know who is actually responsible for taking such a decision - the Lord Lyon, who is responsible for all heraldic matters in Scotland, is to be asked for his views. In 2004, the Scotsman newspaper ran an opinion poll (to coincide with the centenary of RSPB in Scotland) and the eagle soared above all the other birds, including the red grouse, osprey and capercaillie.
Work Starting on Iconic Riverside Museum
It's not just commercial buildings and houses in the Glasgow Harbour redevelopment project. Contracts for the preparatory work in creating an iconic museum, designed by the Iraqi-born architect, Zaha Hadid, were awarded this week. The single-span design, with its shimmering, wave-like roof, is meant to reflect the city's maritime past and will house a much enlarged Museum of Transport. It will also be the new home for the Clyde Maritime Trust and "Glenlee" Tall Ship. The present Museum of Transport, housed in part of the old Kelvin Hall, is already Scotland's third most popular free visitor attraction. It is experiencing a surge in attendance just now, as it is across the road from the refurbished Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum - which itself had a million people through its doors in the three months after it reopened in the summer.
Second Female Moderator
It took a good few hundred years for the Church of Scotland to elect a woman to the top job in the organisation - Dr Alison Elliot became the first head of the church in 2004. This week the kirk elected the Reverend Sheilagh Kesting as the next moderator of the General Assembly of the Church - an appointment which lasts for a year. She will be the first minister in the church to take up the post as Dr Elliot was an elder. Miss Kesting was inducted in 1980 and has been secretary to the Committee on Ecumenical Relations since 1993.
New Scottish Postage Stamps
The Royal Mail is to issue a new series of miniature sheets of stamps focusing on each of the four countries of the United Kingdom. The set of stamps relating to Scotland will be issued on St Andrew's Day, 30th November 2006. The existing first class stamp showing the lion rampant will be joined by another showing the Saltire flag. In addition, there will be two large 72 pence stamps (three times the size of the standard postage stamp) illustrating St Andrew and Edinburgh Castle.
University Designs on Carpets
The design archive of the Stoddards carpet company may be preserved by the University of Glasgow, after the Heritage Lottery Fund awarded a grant to a university consortium to begin work on the preservation of the designs. They include those made for the US White House, the Scottish parliament - and the Titanic. Stoddards was one of Scotland's oldest carpet companies, founded in Renfrewshire in the 1860s. But it went into receivership in 2005. It is hoped that if the archive can be acquired from the receivers, it would become available to inspire future textile and other designers.
£100 Million Makeover for Dunfermline
The centre of the Fife town of Dunfermline has certainly been in need of a major modernisation for some time. Now £100 million is being spent to try to improve the downmarket appearance. The bulldozers are already demolishing the bus station (no tears will be shed over that) so that the adjacent Kingsgate Centre can be expanded. A new bus station is to be constructed on the site of a former Co-Op retail store. The planners have fingers crossed (as well they might) that the two-year project to redevelop the town centre will breathe life back into the ancient capital and attract more shoppers.
The illustration shows Dunfermline's Burgh Hall.
English is a Minority Language
The battle to create a dedicated gaelic primary school, at Sleat on Skye, has ended with the proposal being approved by Highland Council. But the minority of pupils who do not speak Gaelic, will not have to make a round trip of 34 miles each day to attend classes in Broadford. Instead, the council has decided on a "compromise" of creating an English unit within a dedicated Gaelic school. The aim is to enable all the children to become bilingual by the time they move to a secondary school. Initially, there will be 40 pupils having all classes in Gaelic and 20 in English. Although there are Gaelic units within English-speaking schools in other parts of Scotland, this will be the first time that an English unit will have been set up in a mainly Gaelic school.
Scotland's First Bite of Apple
A planning application to open a store in Glasgow's Buchanan Street has been lodged by Apple, the company behind the iPod and iMac. If its application is successful (and there is not likely to be any opposition) it would be the first Apple retail store in Scotland. It is expected that the outlet will be open next summer.
Picture via Wikipedia.
Houston to Aberdeen by KLM?
Dutch airline KLM has revealed that it would be interested in starting a direct transatlantic service between Aberdeen in Scotland and Houston in Texas. But the company says that there are two major obstacles before it could take off. Firstly, the runway at Aberdeen would have to be lengthened by around 1,000 feet. That may well happen - the airport's application to do just that is to be considered by Aberdeen city council's planning committee soon. But the second hurdle is more difficult - the bilateral treaties between the US and individual European governments, which limit competition. Only US airlines and British carriers can operate transatlantic services from UK airports to the US. So the best hope is that an airline based in the US will come forward. An un-named US airline is said to have been involved in initial discussions.
Scottish Food Scholarship
This competition and scholarship has been created to encourage and develop the culinary skills and talents of young working chefs in Scotland. The Scholarship will be judged by a selection of Scotland's Michelin starred chefs and will give the winner the opportunity to work with some of the best in the food and catering industry. The entrants are judged on competence, ability to work with ingredients, individual flair and are tested on preparation, timing and presentation. The winner carries out a series of internships, working with some of the best in the food and catering world, both at home and abroad. The entry date for this year's talented young chefs (aged between 18 and 28) is 6th December. See www.scottishfoodscholarship.co.uk for details.
How to Buy a Kilt
Dr Nicholas J Fiddes, Governor, Scottish Tartans Authority, has written a free guide to why you should wear a kilt, and what kind of kilt to get; how to source true quality, and avoid the swindlers; find your own tartans, and get the best materials; know the outfit for any occasion, and understand accessories. It's all available in a downloadable PDF format (1.5MB). All views and information are the personal views of Nick Fiddes - but he has a lot of experience and background. It's written in non-technical language to be as clear and easy to read as possible. So if you are thinking of buying a kilt (and if you're not - why not?) see www.scotweb.co.uk/nick/buyingyourkilt.
Heritage Trees of Scotland
The Forestry Commission Scotland and the Tree Council have jointly produced a new book which showcases unusual trees that can be found in Scotland. The trees include the tallest tree recorded in the UK (and in Europe, apparently) which is a Douglas Fir in Reelig Glen, near Inverness, which is 210 feet high. Castle Leod in Strathpeffer has a 170 feet high redwood which was one of the first of this type of tree planted in the UK. The castle also boasts a sweet chestnut which is dated at 1550. Then there's the pot-bellied oak in a field overlooking the Beauly Firth, which measures 20 feet 8 inches at its widest girth. But a yew tree near Ullapool has a trunk measuring even more - 23 feet. Another yew tree, in Fortingall in Perthshire, is thought to be 5,000 years old and so is probably the oldest living thing in Europe. See illustration.
Champion Piper and Fiddler
Angus MacColl defeated nine other contestants to become the world champion solo piper, by winning the coveted Glenfiddich Piping Championship last weekend. Nine pipers from Scotland and one from New Zealand had competed in the annual Glenfiddich Solo Piping Championship at Blair Castle, Blair Atholl (seen here). It was the second time that Angus McColl had won the title - the last time was in 1995. In the Glenfiddich Solo Fiddle Championships, Gemma Donald, from Shetland, took the title, with Perdy Syers Gibson, of London, second and George Smith, of Aberlemno, Angus,third.
China Drives Up Price of Whisky
The laws of supply and demand have kicked in and the price of a bottle of blended Scotch whisky is set to rise by 10%. It seems that the reason is a surge in demand from China. Exports of whisky to there soared 86% last year, making 2005 one of the best years for whisky exports. And in the first six months of this year, sales to China are already up by 30% on last year's record volume. China joined the World Trade Organisation in 2001 and the import tariff on Scottish whisky has fallen from 65%t to 10% since then. Aspirational Chinese are keen to try international products - and have found innovative ways of enjoying Scotch - such as mixing it with chilled green tea. Each to their taste... The Scottish Whisky Association is predicting that China will rank among the ten most valuable export markets for whisky in 2006. But since it takes a number of years to gear up production, stocks are beginning to run low - hence the price hike.
Scotland's top Fish and Chip Shop
Once again the Anstruther Fish Bar has been crowned as the best in Scotland in the "Fish & Chip Shop of the Year" competition. The judges put it ahead of all the other competition in Scotland and the famous "chippie" will now compete against nine other fish bars across the UK for the British title. The restaurant copes with over 2,000 customers a day - though many of these carry out their fish supper and eat it on the public tables at Anstruther harbour. In the summer, the Anstruther Fish Bar is a victim of its own success as the queues stretch down the street. After waiting over half an hour for your fish and chips (French fries), of course, anything would taste good! No doubt Tom Hanks, Robert de Nero and Robert Duvall didn't have to wait in the queue to get a seat inside in the restaurant.
World's Shortest Street
The Scottish First Minister, Jack McConnell, wants Scotland to be the "best small country in the world". This week Scotland gained another entry in the Guinness Book of Records - though whether it was quite what the politician had in mind is another matter. It seems that Ebenezer Place in Wick is the shortest street in the world, measuring just six feet and nine inches. It has just one address - No 1 Bistro - part of a hotel. The street is at the meeting point of two other streets - and the door is at the apex. Ebenezer Place took the "title" from the previous worlds record holder - Elgin Street in Bacup in Lancashire, England by a mile - well, ok, the previous champion was 17 feet long. Ebenezer Place was built in 1883, but nobody now knows who Ebenezer was.
Weather in Scotland This Week
On Tuesday, high winds and torrential rain caused a number of problems across Scotland. In Shetland, a Bristow Tiger helicopter parked at Scatsta Airport was blown over as winds gusted to over 55mph. A number of schools in Orkney were closed and ferry services were also affected. In Glasgow, torrential rain and strong winds battered the city, with five days' worth of rain in only 12 hours. Winds gusted at up to 35mph and there was some localised flooding. Later in the week, the temperatures dropped, as clearer skies produced some weak sunshine. But overnight the thermometer plunged to below freezing point in northern Scotland, producing ground frost there and also further south. There was some snow in the higher ground in the Highlands. Preliminary data from the Meteorological Office show that last month was at least 2C above the long-term average.
The illustration shows the bright, new flowers of mahonia.
This Week's Colour Supplement
This week's large format photographs taken in Scotland to show the current season and its flora and fauna, include autumn sun at Hogganfield Loch in Glasgow (see thumbnail here), Whooper Swans just arrived from Iceland, resident Mute Swan and Coot plus large yellow flower spikes of Mahonia. See This Week's Colour Supplement.
Appeal to Commemorate "Father of Radar"
An international appeal has been launched to raise funds for a memorial to Sir Robert Watson-Watt, who developed the first radar detection systems. He was born in Brechin and had an early interest in radio waves and began to look into how aircraft could be detected by the distortion of radio signals. "Radar" was short for "radio detecting and ranging." The basic principles of radio-wave reflection and electromagnetic waves had been established by another Scot, James Clerk Maxwell. Watson-Watt became the superintendent of the radio division of the National Physics Laboratory in Teddington. In 1936 his radio stations were able to detect aircraft up to 70 miles away. A network of radar stations provided early warning of aircraft attacking over the English Channel. It was due to radar that the over-stretched resources of the RAF were able to be in the right place at the right time as Luftwaffe aircraft streamed over during the Battle of Britain from August to October 1940. The Germans could not understand why the defending aircraft were so often there to meet them. Apart from a small plaque on the house where he was born in Brechin, his memory is below the horizon of any radar system. So the Watson-Watt Society of Brechin, established a few months ago, has kick-started the fund-raising campaign.
Aberdeen to Join Modern Hanseatic League
The Hanseatic League was an alliance of trading guilds that established and maintained a trade monopoly for a time over the Baltic Sea and most of Northern Europe between the 13th and 17th centuries. While Aberdeen was never included in this trading "club", they have decide to participate in a 21st century version. The new Hanse was founded in 1980 in the Dutch town of Zwolle and since then has become the world’s largest voluntary association of towns and cities. The new organisation has set itself the task of reviving the idea and spirit of the European city/municipality collaborating in the same way as the historic Hanseatic League. "Die Hanse" has as member cities and towns from across northern Europe and Scandinavia, including Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Russia, Poland, Sweden, Norway and Finland. Until now, only one UK town (King’s Lynn in Norfolk in England) has participated. Perhaps Aberdeen was also attracted by there being no membership fee - the city will only pay the cost of participating in projects in which they decide to become involved.
Museum Facelift for 200th Birthday
The Hunterian Museum, which is based at Glasgow University, is Scotland's oldest public museum, having opened its doors in 1807. Its initial collection was donated by its founder, the Royal physician and scientist Dr William Hunter. His coins, books (10,000 of them, many from the 16th century), art and medical and natural science exhibits, have been added to over the years, with a particular emphasis on Roman antiquities, geological specimens and coins. The collection of prehistoric fossils of dinosaurs is particularly popular with school children. The museum has temporarily closed its doors, so that a £750,000 facelift can go ahead to allow the historic collection to be redisplayed, new interactive exhibits added and the building made more accessible. It will reopen in March 2007, which will allow the attraction to celebrate its 200th birthday in style.
Next Week in Scottish History
More Hits Than Misses
The National Theatre of Scotland was launched one year ago with a budget of £7.5 million and since then it has toured 44 cities, towns and villages across Scotland, reached nearly 100,000 people and won 11 awards. As it celebrated its first birthday this week, its executive director said that it had created "more hits than misses". The stand-out successes have undoubtedly been "Black Watch", about soldiers from the historic regiment serving in Iraq, and the children's production "Wolves in the Walls". Venues have ranged from conventional theatres to drill halls, a tower block, a ferry and even Edinburgh airport.
Johnny Cash's Daughter for Celtic Connections
The programme for Celtic Connections, the popular traditional music festival that takes place each January in Glasgow, was announced this week. The new artistic director (Donald Shaw, founder of folk band Capercailie) has injected a strong American flavour, with contributions from Peter Buck of REM, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Rosanne Cash (who will perform a special tribute to her father, the late Johnny Cash). The festival will have an additional venue to fill ( the ABC in Sauchiehall Street) and other performers will be rock-orientated bands such as Idlewild and the Cowboy Junkies. The aim, apparently, has been to broaden the appeal of Celtic Connections.
Santa on the Run
Edinburgh's festive programme makes a lot of money for the city and its traders and gets bigger and better every year. There is the New Year's Eve street party, of course, but there are lots of other perennial favourites as well - like a race involving 3,000 Santas in Princes Street Gardens, ice skating in Winter Wonderland, the giant ferris wheel beside the Scott Monument and the German market. With the influx of workers from eastern Europe, the kielbasa sausage and beetroot soup at a Polish Market are likely to be popular too. It is estimated that over 250,000 people gravitate towards the Capital for the various Christmas and Hogmanay celebrations. A 60-page guide to all the events is being circulated and it includes a "panic-free Christmas cooking" course for those who need some help with preparing that turkey dinner. The festivities begin on November 23, with the switch-on of the Christmas lights and the opening of the Winter Wonderland.
Six Cities Design Festival
The Scottish Executive is investing £3 million in a three-week series of events in May next year, to raise awareness of the contribution of design and creativity in enabling Scottish businesses to compete at the highest level internationally. The "Six Cities Design Festival" will be running public programmes in all of Scotland's cities between May 17 and June 3 next year. The aim is to inspire the next generation of innovative Scottish designers and highlight the contribution that the creative industries make to Scotland's economic performance. It is estimated that they support over 100,000 jobs in Scotland and generate over £5 billion for the Scottish economy every year.
Growth Plan for Edinburgh Film Festival
When the Edinburgh International Film Festival began in 1947 (as part of the main Edinburgh International Festival) it only showed documentaries. In the intervening years it has become the longest continually running film festival in the world (Cannes and Venice started earlier, but were interrupted in the late 1940s). It has grown considerably over the years, but now the organisers claim that it will have to quadruple in size if it is to compete on the international stage against rivals such as Berlin or Rotterdam. A more realistic aim is likely to be to double in five years. Critics of the plan have suggested that it attracted big stars for its 60th anniversary this year and that its large selection of films satisfied most of the audience. This year, the Edinburgh event sold 59,000 tickets (compared with 180,000 for the Berlin Film Festival - and the 1.5 million of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival which also runs in August).
Sunday and Mid-Week Football Results
Kilmarnock 1 Celtic 2
Aberdeen 2 Hibernian 1
Benfica (Portugal) 3 Celtic 0 (European Champions League, Group F)
Rangers 2 Maccabi Haifa (Israel) 0 (Uefa Cup Group A)
Bank of Scotland Premierleague Results - 4 November 2006
Celtic 2 Heart of Midlothian 1
Dunfermline 0 Falkirk 3
Hibernian 2 Kilmarnock 2
Motherwell 0 St Mirren 0
Dundee United v Rangers is scheduled for Sunday and Inverness Caledonian Thistle v Aberdeen for Monday evening.Scottish Football League First Division Results - 4 November 2006
Airdrie United 0 Livingston 1
Clyde 2 Hamilton 1
Dundee 1 Gretna 3
Queen of the South 2 Ross County 0
St Johnstone 2 Partick Thistle 0Scottish Football League Second Division Results - 4 November 2006
Cowdenbeath 1 Raith Rovers 2
Forfar 1 Brechin City2
Greenock Morton 4 Peterhead 2
Stirling Albion 5 Alloa 0
Stranraer 1 Ayr United 3Scottish Football League Third Division Results - 4 November 2006
Dumbarton 2 Berwick Rangers 0
East Fife 1 Elgin City 1
Montrose 0 Arbroath 1
Queens Park 2 Stirling Albion 1
Stenhousemuir 2 East Stirling 0BT Scotland Rugby Division 1 Results - 4 November 2006
Aberdeen 18 Ayr 36
Dundee 26 Boroughmuir 7
Hawick 7 Currie 27
Melrose 18 Heriots 59
Watsonians 39 Glasgow Hawks 37League Tables
It was looking as if the game on Saturday between the SPL leaders Celtic and Hearts was going to end with honours even. After 70 minutes of play, the scoreline was 0-0. Then Hearts scored to take the lead and hung on grimly as Celtic tried to equalise. With just five minutes to go, Celtic did just that. But they kept up the pressure and in the fourth minute of injury time, the Hearts goalkeeper was pressurised by Kenny Miller and pushed the ball over the line to give the home side a last-gasp victory. That puts Celtic 13 points ahead of Hearts - and 15 points ahead of Rangers (though they have a chance to reduce that deficit on Sunday). At the foot of the table, Dundee United are one pint adrift from Dunfermline.
Mixed European Fortunes
Celtic had defeated Benfica 3-0 at Parkhead in the first leg of their Group F Champions League match, but the return match at the Stadium of Light in Lisbon was a different story. An "own goal" after ten minutes, another 12 minutes later and a third towards the end meant that this Celtic team would not be known as the Lisbon Lions like their predecessors in 1967. The result was more a replay of the matches between the two sides in the 1969-70 European Cup, when the results were identical. Celtic had hoped that even one point would have made qualification to the next stage a more likely prospect. They can still do it - but now have a far more difficult task. In the ten Champions league away games played by Celtic since 2000, they have gained only one point from a possible 30.
Rangers, on the other hand, now sit at the top of their group in the Uefa Cup after a deserved 2-0 victory over Maccabi Haifa. It might have been more, but a Kris Boyd penalty was saved by the goalkeeper. Nacho Novo scored after only five minutes from a pass by Kris Boyd and Charlie Adam scored from the penalty spot near the end as Rangers put the Israeli side under a lot of pressure.
Dundee United's New Manager
Following United's 5-1 defeat by Falkirk, which left the club at the foot of the SPL with just 8 points from 12 games and a negative goal difference of 15, manager Craig Brewster resigned "by mutual consent". As widely predicted in the media, Craig Levein was soon confirmed as manager - joining a long line of managers in recent years who have tried to revitalise the club.
Hibernian's New Manager
Former Scotland and Celtic midfielder John Collins has been appointed as manager of Hibernian. It will be the first managerial post for the 38-year-old, who retired from his playing career in 2003. Collins was once a player at Hibs and will have Tommy Craig as his assistant. Craig was a coach at the club when Collins was a youngster, before moving on to Celtic. Hibernian's previous manager, Tony Mowbray, left the Edinburgh club to take up the same role at English Championship League club West Bromwich Albion.
Scottish Sportsperson of the Year
Gregor Tait, who was part of the successful Scotland swimming squad at the Commonwealth Games earlier this year, was named Scottish Sportsperson of the Year at a prestigious ceremony last weekend. Tait beat off competition from cyclist Craig Maclean and shooter Sheena Sharp to take his first ever sports personality award. He won gold in the 200 backstroke and 200 individual medley and bronze in the 100 backstroke and 400 medley relay at the Commonwealth Games.