Paisley Pirates finish off their season this weekend when they stage their end of season Presentation Night, which will be held in the 5 on 5 Club in Paisley on Saturday night at 7.00pm.
“Yes, the season has had its ups and downs, like any other,” said coach Ian Turley as he looked back on a campaign which saw the Paisley club finish joint second in the Scottish National League, level on points with Edinburgh Capitals and just behind winners Kirkcaldy Kestrels, and go out of the Scottish Cup in controversial circumstances. They also made the semifinals of the Autumn Cup, and qualified for the end of season playoffs.
“We would, of course, liked to have won some silverware, given that we made the latter stages of two cup competitions and finished joint second in the league”, he commented, but it wasn’t to be for a number of reasons. I can’t recall a season where we lost so many players to injury and personal circumstances, I think at one stage we were missing FIVE defenders out of seven who were out injured, so it says so much about those left that we still finished the season in more than respectable fashion, and that we went four and a half months unbeaten.”
“This weekend’s Presentation Night gives us the chance to recognise all of the hard work that goes on over the course of a season and beyond, as not only do we announce the winners of the various awards, we also pay tribute to an army of volunteers without whom we simply couldn’t function. We always present each helper with a memento as a thank you for their help, and there’s also a special Volunteer Award. It’s something we’ve been doing for a number of years now, and it seems to be catching on at other clubs since we started doing it. In addition, There’s the various players’ awards, these being for Most Improved Player, the award for Effort and Attitude, the Difference Maker, the Players’ Player of the Year, and the Most Valuable Player, so it will be a busy night. This year too, we also get the chance to bid farewell to skipper John Churchill who has retired after over 25 years of playing in the sport as a senior.”
“We know the event will be well attended, as it always is, and it gets under way at 7.00pm, going on till late, and for only £7, which will include a buffet and a Disco once we’ve got all the presentations done, it’s going to be another good night. Anyone wishing more information can contact the Pirates’ website at paisleypirates@gmail.com, but hurry, because you don’t have much time left!”