Born in 1946 and brought up in Cupar, Fife, I was educated at the local school - 
Under the able leadership of Jim McInally, the players at Peterhead FC did themselves proud and showed what can be done with skill and determination when they won this – their first trophy since coming into the national league– and in style, with three games of the season left to play. The team then went on to follow up their title with another fantastic victory over Albion Rovers.
The fantastic title win has also just come off the back of the team’s super striker Rory McAllister becoming the first player from outside the Premiership to win the SPFL Player of the Month Award.
Everyone involved at the club has a lot to be proud of – making sporting history and inspiring youngsters who may yet be the top players of the future. They will be presented with their trophy after their final home game against Stirling Albion in front of their incredibly proud fans.
2014 is set to be a year of sporting legacy for Scotland when Glasgow welcomes the 20th Commonwealth Games to our shores, demonstrating what our country can do as hosts of sporting achievement.
Youngsters from across the Commonwealth, including those from the Banffshire and Buchan Coast, are watching the Baton Relay make its way round the world before it arrives in our largest city, making memories that will last a lifetime. On 29 June it will be touring Banff, Macduff, Fraserburgh and Peterhead, and on 3 July, the baton will be seen by locals in Buckie and Cullen.
The enormous sense of pride that these events create will be replicated on a local level in our towns and villages, and just as the London Olympics of 2012 had lasting ripple effects in sports participation across communities, so too do we hope that the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow will inspire our youngsters in the Banffshire and Buchan Coast.
Scotland is the home of many sporting interests, and 2014 also marks the arrival of the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles. The world’s golfing stars and media will be focused on Scotland as it hosts for only the second time in the tournament’s history the greatest tournament in match play golf.
Inspiration from these events and the lasting memories they create last for generations. As much as we remember the sporting heroes of our childhood, so our children and teenagers will reminisce for years to come on the Peterhead FC team of 2014, the golfing stars at this year’s Ryder Cup and the sporting spectacles that emerge from the Commonwealth Games.
The lasting legacy of these events is also created in the healthy lives of our young people. A healthier Scotland is something that we all dream of for the future, where life expectancy goes up as diets and habits improve, with better education and a zest for life that comes from regular exercise. And what better way to educate our children than to show them positive role models who excel in what they do. Sporting achievements are one key way that we can realise the ambition to make Scots more active, improving their quality of life, and making our country a healthier place to live.
As Peterhead FC celebrate their fantastic achievement, they should know that their trophies will be remembered for many years to come, and will spur many others on to take to the football field, or work hard at whatever they are doing, in order to achieve their ultimate goal.
