A modest haul of medals had been achieved by Shetland’s competitors at the island games by the time went to press, with once again the archery team leading the way.

Shetland’s junior inter-county squad were on course to retain the Stuart Cup in Kirkwall, with a comfortable points margin, as we went to press yesterday.

There has been moderate criticism of the inclusion in the Shetland island games football squad, announ­ced last week, of Duncan Bray and Alan Duncan.

The reason is that, although they have turned out for Ness United and Delting respectively this season, both are now based outwith the isles. Bray, especially, has played little at home…

Fittingly the Champions League will see Manchester United and Barcelona, the best two teams in Europe, contesting the final.

Man Utd overcame Arsenal in the first semi-final with surprising ease, the only negative on a night of triumph the red card for Darren Fletcher, which means he misses the showpiece in Rome.

Chelsea, meanwhile, will…

A momentous week for football, and the subsequent bans for Rangers players Barry Ferguson and Allan McGregor surely demonstrate, if any more evidence was necessary, the desperate state of the game in Scotland.

And the catalogue of events proved again that the central belt media, rather than concentrating on the malaise of the national team on…

Shetland is fast becoming a place noted for the longevity of its top sportsmen and women.

Cyclists Carlos Riise and Christine McLean, both on the wrong side of 40, are still performing well in events on the mainland, with the latter beginning her new season with a personal best time in a 10-mile time trial.…

News that the death knell may shortly toll for the Southern Football Association, while some­what inevitable, will still be greeted with sadness in some quarters.

For nigh on 60 years players turned out for a variety of teams in the Southern League, predomin-antly from Dunrossness, Sandwick and Cunningsburgh. And many a memorable 90 minutes ensued.…

Celtic manager Gordon Strach­an, a man more noted for talking in riddles than rational thinking, nevertheless made a very sensible statement last week.

Managers, he said, should be given until the end of a season before being dismissed. Similar to the transfer window for players there should be a “sacking window” for those in charge.…

Kaka refusal a boost for common sense

Surely the best news to have emerged from the football world this week is the failure by Manchester City to prize Brazilian forward Kaka away from AC Milan.

Money, it seems, does not always talk, certainly not where this star is concerned, and not everyone, as widely presumed,…

Ashes contestants both in some disarray

WITH just a few months to go before this year’s Ashes cricket contest between England and Australia, it is difficult to judge which of the two sides has the worst problems.

The Aussies have lost their past two test series, including being beaten at home by South Africa in…

A former Lerwick optician is suing his estranged wife and erstwhile business partner for more than £800,000, claiming that her actions after they went their separate ways six years ago effectively left him out of work.

New SIC chief executive Alistair Buchan came face to face with all councillors this week for the first time since taking up the post for what he described as “very positive” initial discussions about how to react to major criticisms in the Accounts Commission’s recent report on the local authority.

Multiple Grammy winner Steve Earle, the outspoken singer-song­writer responsible for a host of classic Americana songs including Copperhead Road, Guitar Town and Galway Girl, will be stopping off in Lerwick next Thursday for a re-arranged show at Clickimin.