Scotland Over 55s

2007

After a successful, but informal first season, the 55s went legit this year, as a number of last year's successful 50s team have now matured and been "promoted".

After trials in December, coach Peter Burns had a full squad minus inevitable injury call offs at his disposal for a warm-up tournament in Chelmsford in May. Results were mixed but the tournament was enjoyed by all. Full games against the English and Welsh were played at Swansea on June 23-24.

Unfortunately injuries took their toll and both the Gilmours, Jimmy from Clydesdale and Iain from Giffnock, had to pull out of the Swansea trip while others did not even make it to Chelmsford.

The squad for Swansea was:

Hew Bishop	Carnegie
Peter Burns Player/Coach/Manager	Dundee Wanderers
Jim Chisolm	Waverley Inveresk Trinity
Roy Crichton	Waverley Inveresk Trinity
Stuart Dick	Western
Tony Duguid	Aberdeen GSFP
Mike Egerton Captain	Bowdon
Andy Ferrol	Daten
Duncan Griffiths	Carnegie
Peter Macari	Aberdeen HC
Iain McKay	East Kilbride
Frank Nawn	Giffnock
Peter Robertson	Greenock
Alistair Trainor	Western
Colin Tucker	Reivers
John Watkins Goalkeeper	Watsonians

The squad was larger to start with, but the attrition/disintegration rate was high, with several players from the original squad being more health service than civil service:

Roger Jamieson	Western
Iain Gilmour	Giffnock
Jimmy Gilmour	Western
Marco Macioca	Carnegie
Alistair Robertson	Clydesdale

The thin blue line

The Scottish over 55s made their official debut in Swansea against England and Wales. Owing to the failure of the Irish to materialise out of the mist, some idiot decided that we should all play each other on the Saturday in Swansea, and again on the Sunday. Our initial squad of 20 was decimated beforehand by such trivial excuses such as being injured, being in China,moving house,  or a dance show! So 15 travelled.

By cynical craft and cunning (we would have done the same) we were asked to play England first on the Saturday. Suffice it to say they won by 8 clear goals and we didn't score. We then had to play the Welsh, for whom this was their first game. Steam running out was the problem, and the result 3-7.

On the Sunday, we played the Welsh first and slaughtered them 1-1, before coming slightly unstuck against the English, whose first game it was.

The banter was good, we all now know the name of Napoleon's horse, and this age group is now properly established. The trials on December 9th will almost certainly lead to a stronger team next year. Efforts will then be made to stagger the various agegroup events so that we have enough bodies to cover them all. Hopefully, also, the Irish will get themselves organised at this level.

There is an opportunity here for people previously uninvolved to represent their country. Anyone who would like the opportunity to take part should watch for details of the 50/55 interdistrict in December when the selection process starts again. Watch this space.

2006

A rigorous selection procedure produced the squad listed below. Under the astute eye of coach Peter Burns, the squad played in a tournament involving teams from Wales, Italy and England in Chelmsford on the weekend of 13-14 May 2006.  Home and away games against Dutch opposition took place in June and September.

Hew Bishop	Carnegie
Doug Caren	Carnegie
Roy Crichton	Waverley Inveresk Trinity
Tom Dalgarno	Menzieshill
Stuart Dick	Western
Tom Dickson	Carnegie
Tony Duguid	Aberdeen GSFP
George Guy	Edinburgh HC
Roger Jamieson	Western
Peter Macari	Aberdeen HC
Dave McCulloch	Peebles
Mike Macinally	Carnegie
Ali McNab	Peebles
Alistair Ogilvie	Clydesdale
Harry Phillips	Carnegie
Stuart Robinson	Greenock
Bill Robson	Carnegie
Ally Trainor	Western
Colin Tucker	Reivers