Campbeltown Pupils 2005s had an amazing season
No world cup teams will say all players scored in the competition, but this season all Campbeltown Pupils 2005 players scored. Some super statistics were revealed by coach David Paterson at the team’s first end-of-season prize-giving last Friday in the Ardshiel Hotel. These were David’s statistics: played 20 games – 18 in the league, three defeats, one draw, 16 wins. Two cup games – one win one narrow loss; 20 players used during the season with the main nucleus of 15 players playing all season and having a turn of being captain. More than 2,000 miles travelled, 129 goals scored, all players scored in the season; seven goal average and seven blank sheets. David said that he was incredibly proud of the team, a ‘wonderful group of lads and an absolute credit to their families’, as well as to Campbeltown and District Juvenile Football Association (CDJFA). He added that being part of the team meant they needed to have these standards in everything, not only at training or on match day but also when away from football as they represented the team and association. Everyone in the team stood up individually, said who they were, their position and best season’s memory. Amid much hilarity, these included scoring a first goal, scoring a hat-trick and being booked for the first time. Some memories were not all about the football on the park. David spoke of the time the bus broke down as someone used the wrong fuel. The players tried to push the bus until they were rescued by another bus. The coaches waited for the rescue truck, with the broken down bus, for hours, on the Rest and Be Thankful with nothing more than one small sweetie, but it was not disclosed whether they took turns of sucking the sweet. Before the formal prizegiving, David stressed that, although everyone could not be on the prize list, those who got awards were rewarded not only for their own efforts but also because of the team. Special guest Alec McKinven, with coaches Ian McGeachy, Chris McLellan, Stewart Campbell and referee Archie Mitchell, presented the prizes and were thanked for their support. The main prize winners were: game attendance: Michael Campbell, Calum Ellis, Ryan Shields, Calum McAllister and Kyle Paterson; referee award: Calum Ellis; commitment to travel: Michael Campbell, Ryan Harding, Stuart Phillips, Kyle Danson and Finlay Kerr; goal of the season: Lorne Paterson; save of the season: Scott Oman and Finlay Kerr; top goal scorer: Calum Ellis; trainer of the year: Andrew Semple; players’ player of the year: Owen Reid; club player of the year: Josh Arkell. Special mention and thank you gifts were given to Neil McAllister and Ian Ried who drove the bus to away games. Thanks were also given to Claire McAllister for organising hospitality and strips, Susan McMillan for the players’ registrations and Helen Phillips for photography of the team during games. It was said to the young players that at this moment they might not understand the importance of the pictures but would appreciate how much they meant in years to come. Ian Reid spoke on behalf of the parents to the coaches thanking them for their hard work and presented each with a bottle of whisky.