Promotion!

Today saw the return of our club's 10k road race after three years. As well as marshalling at my usual spot (see extra) I'd taken on the task of buying the 200 bananas for the finishers. Although cheap, I felt slightly self-conscious buying them, and they take up quite a lot of space! Once all the runners had returned, I went home and responded to the questions I'd received from my students since last night.

Having seen them win the first leg in Bonnyrigg 3-0, I couldn't resist the temptation of travelling across the Forth to Cowdenbeath to see the job completed in the return leg. It was a worthwhile but very different experience. There wasn't the excitement of an uncertain outcome or a dense crowd, rather an atmosphere of celebration and family day out. The Cowdenbeath pitch is inside a stock car racing circuit, and from the grassy banking, and through the catch fencing, there was an fine - if slightly distant - view of the play. The Bonnyrigg ultras were in full voice on the terracing, but near me there were kids rolling down the grass. If Cowdenbeath had scored first, there might have been some excitement, but a Bonnyrigg penalty was the only goal. The 4-0 aggregate win sees them promoted to the Scottish League 2, and consigns "The Blue Brazil" to the Lowland League.

I did spare a thought for Cowdenbeath, as it's another iconic name in Scottish Football dropping out of the main leagues, and the town also looks as if it's stuck in the 70's, not helped by the stock car racing and Mud's greatest hits playing on the stadium sound system!