Dalgleish Given Merit Award for Services to Footie
Secretary, 30 January 2010 19:55
My job wouldn't exist were it not for
award nominees, says Craig Levein as he handed over the Merit
Award to our Club Chairman, Douglas
Dalgleish
NEW Scotland boss Craig
Levein hailed the unsung heroes at the McDonald's - Sunday Mail
Grassroots Awards and claimed he wouldn't be in a job without guys
like Douglas Dalgleish. Dedicated Dougie received the coveted Merit
Award for services to the game after an amazing 40-year stint with
Tynecastle FC. During that time he has lifted 15 Scottish Cups and
inspired thousands of kids. He was just one winner on a night when
the spirit of dozens of the volunteers who give their life to the
game humbled a full house at Hampden. This is the seventh year that
the Sunday Mail has backed these awards and every time the job of
sifting through the hundreds of deserving nominees gets harder for
their expert panel. However, on Thursday night Levein and the
legendary Kenny Dalglish dished out a dozen awards to the
footsolidiers who give their heart to amateur football and ask for
nothing. Levein said: "This has been a delight to be here tonight.
I have been fortunate to be awarded the Scotland job, dealing with
the elite players at the top of the tree. "But without the people
who engage with the kids at the youngest age groups my job would
not exist. "Football is in our blood. I hear all of these award
winners speaking with passion, pride, enthusiasm and emotion. They
all have Scottish football at heart and that is a wonderful thing
to give recognition to." The night also saw SFA chief executive
Gordon Smith and coaching supremo Jim Fleeting pay passionate
tributes to the volunteers. Proud Merit Winner Dougie said: "I
couldn't list all the friends and colleagues who have helped me
with the club because there are so many of them. "But they know how
I feel about the fantastic work they do and the support they've
given me."
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