The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Off the ropes after 50 years
Brechin boxers will don their vests for the town club’s first competitive action in almost half a century. A squad of five young contenders head for Motherwell later this month to compete in a schoolboy event.
And seeing them climb into the ring will be a proud moment for the man who led the rebirth of the Brechin Boxing Club, which his great uncle guided back in its heyday.
Town barber Jocky McLean has seen interest in the sport thrive since he set about converting the century-old Ebenezer Hall into a training base a couple of years ago.
The tin-roofed former church on Southesk Street now welcomes around 100 regulars each week for boxing training and recently-added kickboxing.
Jocky, 39, is thrilled to see five boys making their competitive debuts.
He said: “In the 1960s and 1970s my great uncle Tommy Love had the boxing club.
“He started the pool league in Brechin as well and took me along to that as a young lad.
“We were close, but he died in 2005 and so I wanted to get the boxing back up and running.
“It was a really popular sport and at one point there were several boxing clubs in Brechin, but they all packed up. I’d like to find out more about the history of the club.
“I think it stopped in the 1970s, so it could be around 50 years since Brechin Boxing Club was involved in a proper competition.”
Jocky added: “I’ve lived in Brechin all my life and you often heard that there wasn’t much for the youngsters to do.
“The kids really got involved with the club from the beginning and it’s great for them to learn a sport and put their energies into something they enjoy.
“We’ve got all ages and abilities, both boys and girls, coming to the boxing and the new community kickboxing club.
“Lockdown was difficult, but when it was relaxed we were able to get the youngsters involved in outside training and it was good weather so it was pretty good fun.”
The first fight hopes will be resting on the shoulders of Brechin lads Alfie Murray, Brannan Brymer, Alex Thomson and Ben Harrison, along with Eddie Hill, from Forfar.
Jocky said: “They’re all aged between 12 and 14 and I’m really pleased to see them going to the competition.
“It’ll be a great day for Brechin Boxing Club and a great experience for them.
“I’m planning to build a sensory room and specialise in teaching children with autism and ADHD.
“It’s taken a couple of years but we’re a long way from the old tin kirk which it was.
“My dream would be to send one of my fighters to the Olympics or Paralympics – that would be a great thing for Brechin.”