Winter football in Scotland: the catalyst for our summer shortcomings

Today is Saturday the 10^th of December, the date for the Scottish Junior Cup replay between Armadale Thistle and Kilsyth Rangers – or at least it was before the snow reared its ugly, yet oh so familiar head. The match postponed for the second week in a row and the commencement of a frustrating routine which will doubtless be the case for the majority of Saturdays from now until at least early spring. One does not have to possess uncanny powers of prediction to anticipate this trend; experience tells us that this will be the case. Identifying problems and then providing a solution is one thing that we humans do best – when we were cold, we invented fire. It may be unfair to draw comparisons between primitive man and the Scottish football hierarchy - but only a little. It remains a mystery, to me at least, why this obvious problem hasn’t been subject to change.

Adverse weather conditions are a problem which affects our nation’s football from grassroots level through to the SPL. Games and training sessions being cancelled on a regular basis is the most obvious hindrance to lower level and youth football. With poorer pitches being less adept at coping with the winter weather, matches are called off frequently in the winter months. Even if pitches are deemed playable they are often of a standard that is better suited to a bovine than Beckham. These rutted, waterlogged and uneven playing surfaces mean the game that is on show bears no resemblance to a sport once described by Pele as “the beautiful game”. Terrible surfaces and detrimental conditions engender a brand of anti-football that we should not accept. Despite coaches diligent efforts to ingrain the correct practices in players, in reality is becomes impossible to put this into match situations.

This an immediate problem in the sense that frustrated players and spectators have to find something else to fill their Saturday afternoons with when games are postponed, fans are less likely to come and watch, enjoyment is halved and standard plummets. However, the premier focus of my argument for the transition to summer football is the effect that these conditions are having on future generations of players. The top Scottish players of the future face an uphill struggle filled with many hurdles to fulfil their maximum potential, some of which hurdles can be removed as a result of a change in our approach to the game – especially the season in which we participate.


A combination of seasonal aspects hinders development of young players. Bad conditions, as mentioned before, lead to a lessened standard of play. Technical aspects of the game, which are fundamental to a player’s development, are limited whilst playing on a public park where you are more likely to be tackled by a divot than an opponent. Each game for a youth footballer should be viewed as part of a grand development process. Emphasis should be on learning rather than winning. From personal experience, learning is restricted when playing in such uncomplimentary conditions – unless you consider learning how to clear the ball into a corner for the biggest and fastest player to chase, learning. I personally do not. Assuming there are good coaches who are encouraging young players to play an attractive form of football in training and focus is on developing technical attributes such as passing, ball control and dribbling, players are often neglected of an arena to showcase and impart the skills they have learnt in training into competition situations to have the optimal learning experience.


Like matches, training is also sacrificed due to wintery conditions. I subscribe to the belief that optimum performance = optimum training + optimum recovery. Training is fundamental to development and maintenance of ability. This ratio of optimum performance and development is affected by cancellations, training moved to unspecific facilities (such as an indoor hall or, worse, the running track) or training being adapted to fit the conditions. It is not just training during the winter months that is affected, leading up to the end of the season there is often a backlog of fixtures due to numerous postponements from December – March . This results in 2 or even 3 matches being played per week. Training is often neglected in order to focus on matches. For a youth, this is far from ideal. Due to the numerous matches being played in a short space of time players are also at risk of burnout, exhaustion and learning less in games due to playing tired.

My concluding point in this labouring argument for the progression of youth football, as a result of a change in seasons, is enjoyment. In Scotland, we have a population of just over 5 million. In order to progress as a footballing nation (the yardstick being the qualification for major international tournaments) we need to maximise the amount of players playing the game. The more players that are playing means the more chance of developing a future world class player – simple. Youngsters would be far more enticed to play in summer weather and on good pitches. I believe that this would help decrease dropout numbers, increase the amount of players introduced to the game and improve standards due to a greater enjoyment of playing. The lure of playing 'Fifa' on a games console rather than stepping out for a kick about becomes far more enticing when the wind and rain are battering against your bedroom window, believe me.

For fear of neglecting the benefits summer football will bring to adult game, I will identify, the main problems that I have with the current situation. At the professional level, attendances are on the slide. Television is arguably the main reason. However, out with the diehard fan base, it is unlikely that the casual spectator is likely to come and watch a match between Peterhead and Montrose on a sub-zero Saturday in January. I believe that if this match was played on a sunny day in July attendance would dramatically increase. What’s more, the standard on show would be better and spectators would enjoy their experience more. Gate receipts would improve meaning more money for clubs at a time where every penny is a prisoner. This would give clubs more finances to put into the development of current facilities, youth systems and stadium comforts, further developing players, match standard, attendances and the reputation of Scottish football.


In no way am I writing the blog to place the blame for my own mediocrity on the soccer field due to having to clog it out in winter. I could have been raised in an eternal summer and still lack the ability hit the metaphorical “coo’s arse” from 12 yards.  This blog is merely to vent the frustrations of a man who is unlucky enough to be born into the most barren generation that Scottish football has had on the international arena and to put forward my own suggestions on how to end this rut. I believe that the principle alteration is the transition from winter to summer football seasons at all levels in Scotland.

As Confucius famously said “only the wisest and stupidest of men never change” given the evidence and our constant shortcomings of late it is painstakingly apparent that we are the latter.

Change should be imminent.

Is the X Factor killing the music industry?

As I sit here in a Stirling University computer lab listening to "Alas, I cannot swim" - Laura Marling's first and, in my opinion, best album I can't help but ponder whether an artist such as Laura Marling is unfortunate to be born in a generation which sees the music industry monopolised by TV talent shows, manufactured artists and bands chosen for their aesthetic appeal who provide a conveyor belt of generic, uninspiring and artificially enhanced songs. The beautiful, original and organic music of Laura Marling is unlikely to ever receive the recognition and exposure that it deserves. I can't help but feel saddened as a result. The last few years have seen the charts dominated by talentless and uninspiring acts such as Pitbull (a man who rhymes 'kodak' with 'kodak' - whilst creating one of the most annoying songs of the year), JLS, Cher Lloyd and Jedward to name but a few. Genuinely talented musicians suffer as a result of the financially greedy industry. Sadder still, the public suffers directly as they are deprived of truly talented and unique musicians.

The industry is creating a greater gap between what is popular and what is good. The current generation is sorely deprived of an eclectic mix of original talent. This worries me. Not only for what I am likely to hear on the radio on the way home, but for what the repurcussions from a saturation of mainstream, monotonous rubbish are likely to be. Future artists are undeniably influenced by what they hear when they are growing up. Would there be an Oasis without The Beatles? Muse without Radiohead? Editors without Joy Division? No. Does this trend suggest that the next generation of artists will be a JLS, Olly Murs and The Wanted hybrid? I for one, certainly hope not. A bit unrealistic, perhaps, but concerning nonetheless.

It seems that artists who don't fit the image which has been created by the behemoth music industry are left behind and refused entry into the elite group at the top of the charts. One has to actively search for decent, original music. The bands which have defined generations in the past would perhaps struggle to be much more than a 'cult' band in this day and age. Alternative sounds are starved of the exposure that they need to reach a wide audience. I have provided Laura Marling as an example, but many more musicians fit this bill. If an artist is bold enough to reject current popular culture and create their own path, chances are they will struggle to make a significant impact in the industry.

The fact that the charts are being over-populated by mainstream, comfort-zone, generic sounds adds further anxiety to the future of music. The alternative is increasingly being cast further adrift from the popular. I fear that if this continues then new and original acts may never reach their full potential. Popular acts will fill stadiums and the Laura Marling's of this world will be playing to a well educated few. Future generations will miss out on genius. This generation will be defined by mediocrity. Are bands of the future going to be influenced by this mediocrity and go on to produce their own versions of what we have now? If the industry continues to be dominated by the X factor generation it seems like this will be the case. Of course, artist motivation is an important consideration. True artists who play for the love of music will play to their own tune, so to speak, regardless of what is popular. However, with the industry being in the grasp of the Simon Cowell's of this world who, despite claiming otherwise, are only involved to fatten their wallets - it looks ominous.

A grim prospect indeed.