Calvin Ramsay Set for a Return to Scotland
St Mirren are weighing up a loan switch for the Liverpool full-back Calvin Ramsay. Calvin Ramsay started his footballing career in Scotland with Aberdeen, coming through the youth ranks and making his professional debut in March 2021 as a late substitute against Dundee United, as well as making his European debut the same year against BK Häcken, grabbing an assist in a 5-1 victory. Ramsay would then go on to win the SFWA Young Player of the Year during the 2021/22 season after a successful season with his boyhood side, making 33 appearances. Liverpool came chasing the Aberdeen youngster, which saw the right-back depart for a fee of around £4.2 million, where Ramsay would make two first-team appearances for the Anfield side. Unfortunately, his career didn’t go to plan, as the former Aberdeen man was struck with multiple injuries, halting his Liverpool career. Calvin went out on loan to Preston in 2023, making just two appearances, before a second loan spell at Bolton, making just 4 appearances, with injuries holding back the Aberdeen-born full-back. His next step would be a loan spell with Wigan, which again didn’t go to plan, despite playing 12 times for the EFL side. A move back to Scotland was then on the cards, but again he went on to make just 8 appearances for the Rugby Park outfit. Ramsay has made a handful of pre-season outings this season, with many Liverpool fans impressed, some suggesting he should be starting over former Celtic man Frimpong, as the full-back has struggled since signing from Bayer Leverkusen. A move to Paisley might be the next best step and might suit St Mirren’s style of play, with his Liverpool days looking likely to come to an end due to an unlucky spell with injuries.
Scottish Clubs UEFA Europa Conference League Play-Off Opponent Watch
As four Scottish representatives gear up to play for a place in Europe’s third tier of competition, let’s take a look at who stands in their way from reaching the league phase for this season. Hibernian vs KAA Gent The Belgian outfit gained a Conference League place by finishing fifth in the Belgian Pro League last season, they entered the competition at the same stage as Hibs, the second qualifying round and after defeating Ukraine’s LNZ Cherkasy 4-2 on penalties after two 0-0 draws over two legs and then winning 2-1 on aggregate against Sweden’s Göteborg they now face Hibs. They also have two wins from two at the start of this season’s Belgian Pro League. A player to look out for is Algerian international Abdelkahar Kadri, the creative midfielder who can pick a defence splitting pass and quickly has defenders on the back foot as he finds teammates in the final third to give them opportunities to score. Hearts vs Rapid Vienna Across Edinburgh, Hearts face Austrian opposition for the second time this season after they faced Sturm Graz in Champions League qualifiers earlier on this season. Rapid Vienna finished fifth in the Austrian Bundesliga last season and got through two rounds of qualifying to get here in quite convincing style. A 9-3 aggregate victory against Andorra’s FC Santa Coloma and a 6-1 aggregate score against Estonia’s Paide Linnameeskond. They also sit top of this season’s Austrian Bundesliga with three wins from three which includes last weekend’s 8-0 thrashing of Grazer AK. The player to look out for here is 31-year-old striker Tonni Adamsen, the Dane scored four at the weekend in the 8-0 win and will look to do more damage to the Hearts backline which has looked fragile in European competition so far. Motherwell vs SC Freiburg The Steelmen have the most mouth-watering tie of any of the Scottish clubs as they face Germany’s Freiburg who were beaten Europa League finalists last season after losing to Aston Villa. They finished seventh in last season’s Bundesliga in Germany to get to this stage and this is their only qualifying tie they face as they automatically got into the play-offs. The new Bundesliga season doesn’t start until the 30th August, however a noticeable pre-season result was a 3-0 win against Crystal Palace last weekend. The player to look out for is Italian international Vincenzo Grifo, the 33-year-old primarily plays left wing but can play centrally and scored seven league goals and five Europa League goals last season, Freiburg have him and various other dangerous players that Motherwell will need to keep an eye on. Rangers vs FK Jablonec Rangers have to contend with Czech side FK Jablonec if they’re to have European football at Ibrox this season. They finished fifth in the Czech First League last season and have won two qualifying ties before this. They sneaked past Croatia’s Varaždin 4-3 on aggregate and then they beat Latvia’s RFS 4-1 on aggregate to set up the tie against the Gers. They currently sit second in the Czech First league with three wins from three as well. A player to look out for is right-back Martin Cedidla, the epitome of an attacking full back has scored three goals this season in seven games and has one assist too. Rangers’ left side will need to be wary of his attacking play in order to protect their weak central defence.
369 Years of Scots Helping Scots: Scott P. McKenzie on Scotland, Heritage, Sport and the Future
SNN Sports’ CEO Lee Anderson speaks exclusively to Scots’ Charitable Society President Scott P. McKenzie about 369 years of Scottish heritage, community, sport and the future of Scottish identity overseas. There are organisations that preserve history. And then there are organisations that have lived through it. For 369 years, the Scots’ Charitable Society has been doing both. Founded in Boston in 1657 by Scottish immigrants who recognised the importance of looking after their fellow countrymen in a new land, the Society was born from a remarkably straightforward idea: Scots helping Scots. More than three and a half centuries later, that principle remains at the heart of everything it does. But the world around the Society has changed almost beyond recognition. The America of 1657 was a collection of colonies. There was no modern social safety net, no instant communication with Scotland and none of the technology that now allows communities separated by an ocean to remain connected. The need for community, however, has not disappeared. Today, the Scots’ Charitable Society operates around three central pillars — Relief, Scholarship and Culture — providing financial assistance to those facing hardship, supporting students through scholarships and helping preserve and promote Scottish heritage. At the helm is Scott P. McKenzie, a seventh-generation Scot living in America who has spent more than four decades involved with the organisation. For McKenzie, this is far more than an organisation with an impressive historical record. It is a living connection between generations. It is a responsibility. And it is a reminder that Scottish identity does not stop at the country’s borders. Speaking exclusively to SNN Sports, McKenzie discusses what it means to lead an organisation founded in 1657, the importance of Scottish heritage in his own life, why sport can be such a powerful cultural connector, the role of Highland Games, the relationship between Scottish football and overseas communities, and his vision for ensuring the Society remains relevant for another 369 years. A Society Built on Looking After One Another To understand the Scots’ Charitable Society, you have to go back to the beginning. Founded in Boston in 1657 — just 37 years after the arrival of the Pilgrims — the Society was created by Scottish immigrants who understood the difficulties of building a new life far from home. There was no welfare state to fall back on. If someone became sick, lost their livelihood or fell upon difficult times, there were limited resources available. So the Scots created their own. Members contributed to a common fund, known as the “poor boxes”, which could then be used to support Scots who needed assistance. Nearly four centuries later, the circumstances may be different, but McKenzie believes the philosophy remains remarkably relevant. “The Scots’ Charitable Society is a remarkable organization with a very simple purpose at its heart: Scots helping Scots.” That simplicity is perhaps what makes the organisation’s longevity so remarkable. “These Scots decided that they would take responsibility for one another.” The Society has evolved considerably since those early days. Its work now extends beyond direct relief, with scholarships and cultural preservation becoming major parts of its mission. But McKenzie believes the underlying principle has never changed. “What is extraordinary is that the basic principle has survived for more than 369 years. The circumstances have changed dramatically, but the idea hasn’t.” And that, he believes, is what makes the Society’s mission as relevant today as it was in 1657. “We still believe that if someone in the Scottish community needs help, we should be there.” The Responsibility of 369 Years There is something inherently daunting about taking leadership of an organisation that has existed for almost four centuries. Presidents come and go. Generations pass. The organisation remains. For McKenzie, that knowledge fundamentally changes the way he views his role. “It is both an incredible honor and a tremendous responsibility.” He is acutely aware that his presidency is only one chapter in a story that began in the seventeenth century. “When you think about 369 years, you’re talking about generations and generations of people who came before us.” Those generations experienced wars, economic depressions, social upheaval and enormous changes in American society. Yet the Society survived. That gives McKenzie a particular perspective on leadership. “I’m not simply leading an organization that belongs to us today. We’re temporary custodians of something that was entrusted to us by previous generations, and we’re responsible for passing it on to the next generation.” It is a powerful concept. To McKenzie, the objective isn’t simply to maintain what already exists. It is to ensure that the organisation is strong enough to survive long after his presidency has ended. “You don’t want to be the person who presided over the end of something that lasted 369 years.” Instead: “You want to be the person who helped make sure it is here for another 369.” Seven Generations of Scottish Identity McKenzie doesn’t speak about Scottish heritage as an abstract concept. For him, it is personal. As a seventh-generation Scot living in America, Scotland has remained part of his understanding of family, identity and responsibility throughout his life. His mother gave him a piece of advice that stayed with him. “If you want to have an understanding of where you’re going, you need to understand where you came from.” For someone whose Scottish ancestry stretches across seven generations in America, that sense of history carries enormous significance. His ancestors didn’t simply leave Scotland behind. They carried parts of it with them. “They brought traditions, values, stories, music, a sense of community and, perhaps most importantly, the idea that you have an obligation to help the people around you.” That final point is particularly important. Because for McKenzie, Scottish heritage is not simply about the outward symbols of Scottishness. The tartan. The kilt. The clan. The music. All of those things matter. But they are only the visible expression of something deeper. “For me, Scottish heritage isn’t simply about wearing a kilt or knowing your clan tartan.