Leslie Hearts: No show gifts league title to John Hopkins’ team and adds to league cup win

This sealed the Alba Mortgage Solutions Division 1 crown for the Glenrothes side, adding to the Glenfield Autos Division 1 League Cup already won by John Hopkins’ team after their 2-0 final win over Leven FC at New Bayview on May 7 thanks to Callum Edmondsen’s double.

Gaffer Hopkins, 46, a former Leslie Hearts youth player who re-established the club three years ago after it had previously folded, said: “It wasn’t the way we wanted to win the league but obviously the other team didn’t fancy it.

"They called the game off at 10.30pm the previous night. I think they had boys on a stag do.

"I think what they did was unacceptable because all Friday I was cutting the pitch, getting it lined, sorting the changing rooms and we’d ordered food for after the game.

"With them saying they weren’t turning up that late, obviously we’re out of pocket.

"At least we made use of the food because we had a title party. We were given the trophy at 4pm, so the guys all changed into their kit, went out and celebrated winning the league. It’s a good group of guys we’ve got so they were all happy to stay and do that.

“If Dunfermline City had turned up and we’d drawn or lost, we wouldn’t have won the league, although a draw would have put us into a play-off against United Colleges of St Andrews – a one-off game at a neutral ground – to decide the title.

“It was a lot of hard work this season but it was well worth it.”

What adds special significance to Leslie’s fine season is the fact that Glenrothes resident Hopkins and his dad John Snr – who is club secretary – have built the club up from nothing since 2020 after its previous collapse.

"Leslie Hearts struggled for years before they actually folded,” Hopkins added. "I think they were out the league for two years and three years ago I got asked if I wanted to start it up again, so my dad and I did.

"I’ve been building up a really good squad and in our league there’s three divisions, we’re in the bottom division yet got to the fifth round of the Scottish Amateur Cup, another brilliant achievement. There were only three Fife teams left and the other two were in the top tier, including Cupar Hearts who went on to win it.

“We actually lost 6-0 at East Kilbride Colts in the fifth round, who Cupar beat in the semi-final.”

In their 18-game league season in 2022-23, Hearts won 15 matches, losing two and drawing one to whet the appetite for playing in the Championship next term.

"I think we’ll do all right,” Hopkins said. “We played a premier team, Greig Park Rangers, in the Fife Cup first round and led until the last 10 minutes before losing 2-1. We did really well.”

Hopkins already has 18 of his squad signed up for next season but this campaign’s top scorer Blair Sutherland, 38, who has netted 18 times, is retiring this summer.

Hopkins is also extra happy with the club’s success as he feels it is a fitting tribute to ex-manager and club stalwart Kenneth Brown who died earlier this year.