What a great season Broxburn Colts U/14 have had. First they won the County Cup, which was played at Almondvale Stadium Livingston, for the 2nd year in a row.  Next came the league, after a decider game was played at their home ground, against Bathgate Rose.  Broxburn Colts won the game 3-1 to lift the trophy.  Well done to all the team.

Whitehill provided an improved performance before a late goal sunk their hopes of a third successive League Cup success. Early chances were missed and Welfare didn’t look like scoring in the second half against a well organised visiting defence. Dalbeattie sealed the tie witht he winning goal in the 84th minute. Welfare have two games to go with the City Cup Final on 17th May and a visit to Selkirk on 23rd May.

Alnmouth had the game at the weekend wrapped up in the first half, James swordy giving Alnmouth a 15th minute lead.  Further goals from Joe Mosrop (22 minutes) and Daniel Butler (35 minutes) saw the team in control at half time.  Bedlington came more into it after half time and pulled a goal back after 70 minutes thanks to a Ray Armstrong penalty.

The opening fixtures of the Scottish Premier League season this weekend could be delayed because of a pay dispute between the SPL and the referees’ union.

Referees are reportedly asking for a new deal worth £1,000 a match, up from £575 a game last season. The league have offered a 3% rise and sources within the Scottish Senior Football Referees Association are threatening to strike in response.

The chairman of the SSFRA, Stuart Dougal, has said he is reluctant to recommend strike action if demands aren’t met by the SPL today, but refused to rule it out after meetings with the SPL yesterday failed to produce a breakthrough. “This does not mean we are not prepared to be as strong as it takes to get a successful resolution,” he wrote in an email to members.

Other referees are being more outspoken. “The SPL are not taking us seriously and are in for a real shock, which I’m sure Setanta with their big bucks will not be happy about,” one told the Daily Record. ”Be prepared. Unless the SPL have a major rethink of fees, Saturday’s fixtures are in doubt.”

An SPL spokesman said: “A series of discussions have taken place and we expect the matter to be resolved soon.”

The SPL kicks off this Saturday, with Rangers travelling to Falkirk at 12:30pm.

Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon believes the Spanish champions will be a force to be reckoned with next season regardless of whether they sign Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Manchester United winger has been tracked by the Primera Liga champions all summer, with the player himself fuelling speculation by refusing to commit his future to the English club.

United coach Sir Alex Ferguson, who met Ronaldo for clear-the-air talks last week, is adamant there is no chance of the Portugal international quitting United for Spain.

But Calderon insists, even without the Portuguese, Real will go into the new campaign with a “complete” squad.

“We can’t talk about footballers who aren’t ours,” he told Spanish television channel Atena 3.

“I’ve already said several times that we have a very complete squad, who have just won the Primera Liga.

“We built a great team last year. If we finally make some signings, they would be few but very good.”

The Real chief claimed the Spanish side are mere spectators in the transfer saga which has dominated the summer.

“We don’t have anything to say about that issue,” he said. “We are only spectators, a passive observer in this whole story.

“It is the player and the club who are talking about a possible problem, we are unconnected to all that.”

Calderon also poured scorn on suggestions unsettled Barcelona forward Samuel Eto’o could return to Madrid.

Eto’o has been told he can leave the Nou Camp this summer, and although he is reportedly the subject of interest from Real, it would be a controversial move for the player who left the Bernabeu on a sour note in 2000.

And Calderon has laughed off suggestions that the striker could move back to Barca’s bitter rivals.

“There is not an ‘Eto’o case’,” he added. “I don’t know where all this came from, because moreover Barcelona, as is logical, will not sell a player to Real Madrid.”

The few players who have moved between the arch rivals have felt the full wrath of their former fans on their return to their old home.

One of Barca’s favourite sons, Luis Figo, caused such a stir when he moved to Madrid he was pelted with bottles, coins, bricks and even a pig’s head on his return to the Nou Camp.