Tournament in memory of Celtic goalkeeper is postponed

The annual John Thomson football tournament in Cardenden is the latest event to be called off because of the coronavirus pandemic.

It was due to be held on Sunday, September 6, but the organisers announced today it was cancelled

They said that current restrictions meant it wasn’t possible to make all appropriate arrangements for the popular, long-running event staged in memory of the Celtic goalkeeper who died as a result of an accidental collision in a game against Rangers in September 1931.

Alec Burns, who chairs the organising committee, said the decision was taken “with a heavy heart.”

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He said: “Due to ongoing health and safety concerns surrounding Covid 19 the committee agreed that due to current restrictions that are in place it is not possible to make the appropriate arrangements that are required to host this event.

“This isn't a decision that was taken likely and it is with a heavy heart that the committee have concluded that this is the safest option available to them at this time.”

He added: “Despite the tournament running for the past 36 years, volunteers and committee members were often met with potential waterlogged pitch disasters hours before kick off..this often provided them with the dilemma of having to cancel the event at short notice but they were always able to pull together and make the pitch playable in time for the start of the tournament.

“In the interest of public safety and well being that due to the current Covid 19 outbreak the tournament will need to be cancelled until next year.”

He thanked the community for their sport over the past three decades, and said plans for 2021 had already begun.

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