July 15th 2024
There are still tickets on sale for the 2017 Nairn County FC Sportman's Dinner at the Newton Hotel on Friday May 12th. To make sure you do not miss out, please contract Steven Bain on 07917 063023 or steven@ritsonyoung.com or Alex "Scoosh" Mackintosh on 07716 590449. Tickets cost £50 each and can be sold as singles, in pairs or to groups of varying sizes. The speakers for this year's dinner are former Rangers and Manchester United defender, Jimmy Nicholl and Glasgow lawyer, Bill Copeland. Northern Irishman Nicholl won 73 caps for his country in a decade-long international career and won two championships in his second spell with Rangers between 1986 and 1989 after initially moving to Ibrox from Sunderland in 1983 having played in an FA Cup final for Manchester United earlier in his career. In management, Nicholl led Raith Rovers to the 1994 Scottish League Cup and had spells as assistant manager at Aberdeen, Kilmarnock and Hibernian. He is currently assistant manager to Michael O'Neill with the Northern Irish national team, who he helped lead to the last 16 of EURO 2016 in the summer. Bill Copeland is a lawyer practising in Lanarkshire. Until recently, he specialised in criminal defence work but given the swinging cuts in Legal Aid, he has become a conveyancer as there is now more money in acting for those buying houses than those burgling houses! Born in Govan, a quaint fishing village on the banks of the Clyde, home to Sir Alex Ferguson and Billy Connolly, he attended a tough school – tough? There was a boy in the class who was allergic to peanuts and they used to take him round the back of the bike shed and make him play Russian roulette with a packet of Revels. There he learned the three Rs… Rangers and Rangers Reserves. Bill attended Alan Glen's School, which was selective, not doing too well as he selected to go only on Fridays. Left with 6 A Levels but was caught at the gate and made to return them to the Headmaster. Studied at Strathclyde University, graduating B.A., LL.B. which his criminal clients think stand for "buy us a lager and a large Bacardi". Married to Marilyn from Larkhall. It is a mixed marriage, she is a human being and he is a lawyer and dotes on his daughter 12" (it is a daft name but Marilyn chose it). Hobbies? Plays a mean game of golf – won't pay the green fees. Bill's ambition as a speaker is to follow his grandfather's advice "Always leave them begging for more." Which was the very attitude that led to granddad being struck off as the world's worst anaesthetist. Bill has been on the circuit for several years and have spoken at dinners for 70 to 700. To book tickets or to discuss table arrangements at this year's Nairn County Sportsman's Dinner on Friday May 12th, please contact Steven Bain on 07917 063023 or email steven@ritsonyoung.com or contact Alex "Scoosh" Mackintosh on 07716 590449. Graeme Macleod
