Oldest sporting club teams up with the newest for big night

Scott Murray and Ian Wilson shake hands on the partnership

BRITAIN’S newest boxing sporting club, Cannock’s Excelsior, has teamed up with the oldest, St Andrew’s in Glasgow, for a memorable fight night.

The third Excelsior show staged by owner Scott Murray falls on Thursday, November 30 – St Andrew’s Day – and the night is going to be a tartan tear-up to remember.

Scott has reached an agreement with St Andrew’s Sporting Club boss Ian Wilson. He’s sending four Scottish professionals down to face English opposition at the Excelsior’s Premier Suite base.

And there’ll be a real Highlands feel, with pipers, whisky tasting – and even haggis.

Scott, a former heavyweight with Scottish heritage, said: “It will be a great night and any sporting event pitting England against Scotland has that added spice.

“They’re going to be tough fights.”

The Excelsior, a glitzy, red-carpet club that harks back to the sporting club glory days of the 1970s and 80s, launched this year. Scott hopes, in future, to stage Excelsior nights in London and other major cities.

St Andrew’s began in 1973 and hit the ground running. It held its first British title fight in January that year – the all Scottish lightweight clash between Ken Buchanan and holder Jim Watt. It was a 15 rounder between a former world champ in Buchanan and a future one, with Ken taking the points decision.

The purse on offer was £2,000.

The club was then in the hands of fight legend Tommy Gilmour Snr and I believe his son will be attending the Cannock show.