A Scot, Alex Ferguson was caught driving on the hard shoulder of the M602 in February 1999, his defence in court was a little more embarrassing than if he had just taken a fine and penalty points. He claimed he had to get to the toilet! The Manchester United manager was suffering from acute gastroenteritis which of course meant an "out pouring" of severe diarrhoea and his doctor explained more delicately in court that Fergie, stuck in a traffic jam, had an urgent need to visit a toilet. His lawyer said he had one of two choices - 'One is unthinkable and one is to take evasive action'. It's not easy for someone in his position to come into court and, with respect, explain his toilet difficulties on that day.' Very true, but it makes a great story. Bury Magistrates found him not guilty. There was no chance of "Fergie time" that day and heaven knows what his plumbing would be like suffering the present day United performances..
Another Scot, in 1824, an Edinburgh student, John Hope, bought "four bladders" and "a leather cover" to encourage the playing of the game of football in the city. The complete story is told in "1824: The World's First Foot-Club", written by John Hutchinson and Andy Mitchell. You might say "What about Sheffield?", well read the book or listen to the link below.
https://blog.nrscotland.gov.uk/2018/04/09/trailblazers-the-worlds-first-football-club-with-john-hutchinson-andy-mitchell/
The link is an amusing 40 minute spoken cover of the history of John Hope and his founding of the club. (You could skip through some bits!) At the time there was no mention of the club in the newspapers of the day or in the members' memoires. Hope however kept everything. All his papers may be found in the National Record of Scotland, along with other letters and papers.
Along with the foot-ball....there was an Archery Club at Dalry Park in 1826. A set of "rules" was found on the back of a club budget statement in 1833.
Hope helped finance education, poverty and other social issues in the city at the time. Football was regarded as a contribution to social and health improvement. Worth lisenting to!!!!..........
https://www.scottishsporthistory.com/sports-history-news-and-blog
The urban schools, especially in Scotland, did not have the rough play epitomised in the original game played at Charterhouse, Eton and other public schools. This may have been because their games (eventually) were played on grass, not stone "pitches" in the school grounds. Mind you Charterhouse and Westminster both played a dribbling game and did not have so much rough play, even on grass!
Most recently, there is a club called "The Foot-Ball Club of Edinburgh" formed by a local Scot, John Cameron, that plays in the Edinburgh Sunday League and Women's club also playing is the Scottish Women's FL Div 2.
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