Edinburgh City

[cowdenbeath]

45 minutes ago, tamthebam said:

GordonD isn't a City fan so I don't suppose he's bothered either way. Perhaps he just has a soft spot for Cowden (someone has to) and is still embittered at Meadowbank losing to Elgin in the Scottish Cup decades ago... 

we’re certainly due a win against City this season.

[Mr Blobby]

On 05/04/2022 at 22:10, Bay Citizen said:

There’s been a few questions on here recently regarding the new stand opposite the sports centre at Meadowbank, the planning permission has now been granted.

https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/edinburgh-city-get-green-light-for-new-stand-at-meadowbank-3642262

Reading some of Mickey Lawson's old blogs about Edinburgh City recently and the club's much anticipated return to their traditional home - which turns out will be next season and not last year, as written by some joker on their Wikipedia page, a mistake that caught out the Aberdeen v Edinburgh City Scottish Cup tie retro programme researcher when he misinformed readers that City had already moved back there in 2021  - got me thinking about Meadowbank Stadium again (Now fondly rechristened as Meadowbank Sports Centre by the powers that be).

I had planned to send a drone up over the New Meadowbank area to take some pictures for the return of the City Fanzine - Go Tell The Spartans, but got a big knock-back from the contractor's hierarchy at Graham Construction. "You'll have to wait until we handover to Edinburgh City Council", they relied. Meadowbank was said to be the birthplace of football Fanzines and so we thought it only fitting that "Go Tell The Spartans" made a comeback too and City got their Fanzine back. I think I'm right in saying that all the Meadowbank Fanzines eventually got banned by the Meadowbank Thistle board, for one reason or another, and "Go Tell The Spartans" also came close to that same old fate when I felt "The long arm of Ja" tap me on the shoulder one fine afternoon after a Stirling Albion match at Forthbank Stadium in 2017. Apparently the Fanzine was giving out too much information on City's players, tactics and formations. Is that laughable? I don't know but the top dogs at Edinburgh City, at that time, seemed to be under the delusion that the other League Two mangers were actually reading our rag and adjusting their game-plan accordingly. We were getting the blame, by a certain coach, for City's losing streak.

Anyway that's all in the past and in the past it must remain, we had hoped to bring Mr Blobby - along with our Fanzine - to City's first league/cup match at Meadowbank Stadium next season. But sometimes life gets in the way of the best laid plans and so we'll have to wait and see about that. 

*Footnote: The next generation of young City fans, I see, going by Twitter, seem to favour a new unofficial mascot. Pandas! This idea was muted to me in 2017 by a member of the club in an off-the-cuff remark when he was serving me a Pie and Bovril at the old Meadowbank food kiosk. Maybe there was going to be a tie-up with Edinburgh Zoo? St Mirren have Pandas as their mascots and they don't even have a Zoo!  So is this the end, as we know it, for Mr Blobby? My recollection is that Mr Blobby brought supporters of all the Scottish League Two clubs together as a sign of camaraderie and he was welcomed by everyone whenever we went to the home or away grounds. There's too little of that mutual respect between some fans these days, as I witnessed at a recent Edinburgh City v Stirling Albion match at Ainslie Park in February. After all is said and done, who doesn't like a selfie with Mr Blobby? Over to you Mickey!

 

 

[tamthebam]

A panda is just a polar bear that got into a pagar. 

Personally I like pied wagtails myself. 

Small, quite fun, mostly harmless. What's not to like? 

[GordonD]

30 minutes ago, tamthebam said:

Personally I like pied wagtails myself. 

I prefer steak.

[Robert James]

On 12/04/2022 at 03:54, Mr Blobby said:

Reading some of Mickey Lawson's old blogs about Edinburgh City recently and the club's much anticipated return to their traditional home - which turns out will be next season and not last year, as written by some joker on their Wikipedia page, a mistake that caught out the Aberdeen v Edinburgh City Scottish Cup tie retro programme researcher when he misinformed readers that City had already moved back there in 2021  - got me thinking about Meadowbank Stadium again (Now fondly rechristened as Meadowbank Sports Centre by the powers that be).

I had planned to send a drone up over the New Meadowbank area to take some pictures for the return of the City Fanzine - Go Tell The Spartans, but got a big knock-back from the contractor's hierarchy at Graham Construction. "You'll have to wait until we handover to Edinburgh City Council", they relied. Meadowbank was said to be the birthplace of football Fanzines and so we thought it only fitting that "Go Tell The Spartans" made a comeback too and City got their Fanzine back. I think I'm right in saying that all the Meadowbank Fanzines eventually got banned by the Meadowbank Thistle board, for one reason or another, and "Go Tell The Spartans" also came close to that same old fate when I felt "The long arm of Ja" tap me on the shoulder one fine afternoon after a Stirling Albion match at Forthbank Stadium in 2017. Apparently the Fanzine was giving out too much information on City's players, tactics and formations. Is that laughable? I don't know but the top dogs at Edinburgh City, at that time, seemed to be under the delusion that the other League Two mangers were actually reading our rag and adjusting their game-plan accordingly. We were getting the blame, by a certain coach, for City's losing streak.

Anyway that's all in the past and in the past it must remain, we had hoped to bring Mr Blobby - along with our Fanzine - to City's first league/cup match at Meadowbank Stadium next season. But sometimes life gets in the way of the best laid plans and so we'll have to wait and see about that. 

*Footnote: The next generation of young City fans, I see, going by Twitter, seem to favour a new unofficial mascot. Pandas! This idea was muted to me in 2017 by a member of the club in an off-the-cuff remark when he was serving me a Pie and Bovril at the old Meadowbank food kiosk. Maybe there was going to be a tie-up with Edinburgh Zoo? St Mirren have Pandas as their mascots and they don't even have a Zoo!  So is this the end, as we know it, for Mr Blobby? My recollection is that Mr Blobby brought supporters of all the Scottish League Two clubs together as a sign of camaraderie and he was welcomed by everyone whenever we went to the home or away grounds. There's too little of that mutual respect between some fans these days, as I witnessed at a recent Edinburgh City v Stirling Albion match at Ainslie Park in February. After all is said and done, who doesn't like a selfie with Mr Blobby? Over to you Mickey!

 

 

 

[Robert James]

Just now, Robert James said:

Having read your post and the one by Tam, I dug out my Official "Souvenir Issue" programme : MEADOWBANK THISTLE v ALLOA  ATHLETIC, dated 11th September 1974. 

In his programme message, John P Blacklaw (Chairman)stated that "Meadowbank Stadium is one of the finest stadiums in the country  with covered seating for 7,500, and spectator facilities second to none".  What will be the "message" when the new stadium opens ?

 

 

[tamthebam]

1 hour ago, Robert James said:

 

"Welcome to Meadowbank Stadium. It's got some nice orange seats" 

Spoiler

Note to programme ed: I'm copyrighting this, you b*****d! 

 

[Mr Blobby]

2 hours ago, Robert James said:

 

That is a very good question Robert. You have a valuable and historical document on your hands. Mr Blacklaw went on to finish his final paragraph by saying: "We are hoping that very soon we shall have a football club to match it. Will you help us?"

I did write a draft copy for the City Fanzine for Edinburgh City's return to Meadowbank, comparing the Old and the New, with pictures to match. I was just waiting for the drone images to come in. (Permission to fly is still not granted but pending further enquiries to the City of Edinburgh Council).

One of the problems with the old 7,500 seater stand at Meadowbank Stadium on matchdays, where most games were played on a Saturday afternoon, was that it was built facing North. The supporters never got any sunshine on their faces. Now there is news of an additional 1441 capacity stand on the opposite side of the ground facing in a southerly direction. This should make for a better matchday experience all-round, for the supporters.

As for the "message when the new stadium opens", I guess you'll have to wait for the re-writing of the draft copy to see it in print, now that things are progressing along in a positive manner. No doubt your contribution will be added to the fold Robert, with your permission, and with due credit attached. Cheers! Hope that answers your question?

Spoiler

As for Tam-The-Bam's contribution: ""Welcome to Meadowbank Stadium. It's got some nice orange seats... Note to programme ed: I'm copyrighting this, you b*****d!", I'll have wait and see if Tam wants to be paid for his original copyrighted material. I did give him a free Mr Blobby watch once in lieu of his future contributions to the Edinburgh City Fanzine "Go Tell The Spartans" but I neglected to mention this to him at the time during the presentation ceremony in Berwick-Upon-Tweed. That's what it was for Tam!

 

Edited April 14, 2022 by Mr Blobby
Typo

[GordonD]

10 hours ago, tamthebam said:

"Welcome to Meadowbank Stadium. It's got some nice orange seats" 

 

^^^^ Big team found

[RubyTuesday]

It's been a bit quiet on the Citizens thread of late. I am not going to go to Ainslie Park tonight with high expectations. But a win followed by a Stenny loss tomorrow will see us guaranteed a 4th place spot and a chance to seek revenge on Dunbarton for last years play off final defeat.

I'd like to see Robbo and Shanley start up front, as Ouzy seems to have lost the goal touch he didn't really have in the first place...

[Tenkay]

Agreed.  I'd also start with Robbo and Shanley as they're the most likely to score and we certainly need to score a few tonight and next Week.

I'm hoping we show a bit more urgency and intent from the start tonight as City are a decent team once they actually start to put some effort in!

[ARFC Exile]

Great result tonight. Covid has got me, so was unable to make the game unfortunately.

Hopefully Stranraer do the business for us tomorrow

[RubyTuesday]

Back from the game and a very satisfying 2-1 win. City were top class in the first 25 minutes, 2 good team goals and Callum Crane was inches away from the goal of the season after running half the length of the pitch and beating 3 men, but firing just over. 

Conceding just before half time always makes any team nervy, and it took a bit of grittiness from City to see the game out. Not to mention a large dose of sh*thousery, petty time wasting and going down injured. 

A few of the previously banned young team seem to have made their way back in, but it is still the school holidays for some. Only 264 there tonight, mighty disappointing for a team chasing the play offs. 

Having beaten both Falkirk and Annan in recent weeks, I don't think we should fear either in a play off final. 

[ARFC Exile]

6 minutes ago, RubyTuesday said:

Back from the game and a very satisfying 2-1 win. City were top class in the first 25 minutes, 2 good team goals and Callum Crane was inches away from the goal of the season after running half the length of the pitch and beating 3 men, but firing just over. 

Conceding just before half time always makes any team nervy, and it took a bit of grittiness from City to see the game out. Not to mention a large dose of sh*thousery, petty time wasting and going down injured. 

A few of the previously banned young team seem to have made their way back in, but it is still the school holidays for some. Only 264 there tonight, mighty disappointing for a team chasing the play offs. 

Having beaten both Falkirk and Annan in recent weeks, I don't think we should fear either in a play off final. 

Agreed. Dumbarton will be a tougher test i'd imagine, but not insurmountable .

[tamthebam]

1 hour ago, RubyTuesday said:

Back from the game and a very satisfying 2-1 win. City were top class in the first 25 minutes, 2 good team goals and Callum Crane was inches away from the goal of the season after running half the length of the pitch and beating 3 men, but firing just over. 

Conceding just before half time always makes any team nervy, and it took a bit of grittiness from City to see the game out. Not to mention a large dose of sh*thousery, petty time wasting and going down injured. 

A few of the previously banned young team seem to have made their way back in, but it is still the school holidays for some. Only 264 there tonight, mighty disappointing for a team chasing the play offs. 

Having beaten both Falkirk and Annan in recent weeks, I don't think we should fear either in a play off final. 

Curse of predictive text there Ruby! I know they've been crap in League One this season but the Bairns are not quite in the bad play-offs 

We put on a good display in the first half and if we'd rattled in 4 goals it wouldn't have been a surprise. It was a shame to lose that goal just before half time though. Still, one thing was settled tonight. Whatever the result tomorrow Stenny will still be 5th. FTTS. 

[Bay Citizen]

YAAAAAAAASSSSSS!!!

Dumbarton here we come!!!

[ARFC Exile]

Brilliant. C'mon the Citizens

[UsedToGoToCentralPark]

Good luck in the play offs. Well deserved.

[RubyTuesday]

Just now, Bay Citizen said:

YAAAAAAAASSSSSS!!!

Dumbarton here we come!!!

A great achievement by the players. Well done lads. Commiserations to Stenny. Two bald men fighting over a comb throughout March but we came good at the end. Nothing to lose now so let's go for it against Dumbarton. 

[Bay Citizen]

A great achievement by the players. Well done lads. Commiserations to Stenny. Two bald men fighting over a comb throughout March but we came good at the end. Nothing to lose now so let's go for it against Dumbarton. 

Really looking forward to it, especially after City fans weren’t allowed in to the play-offs last season due to restrictions.